The Death Penalty: Right Or Wrong, Good Or Bad? It's from cstnews.com, an advanced website. There were a lot of arguments for the death penalty and the subject was obviously well thought- out. Here are challenges by the website and responses to them:
* In Genesis, 9: 6, it's clear that anyone who murders someone else should be killed himself. The death penalty isn't breaking the commandment: "Do not murder." God commands us to use the death sentence.
> This is a well- made website yet it made a mistake: It did not respond to interpretations of the Bible of how the death penalty lost its purpose or was outlawed in the New Testament. In fact, it didn't show any verses from any books from the New Testament.
Read John 8: 1- 12. A women caught in sin and would have been punished by death in the Old Testament was not executed. In the Old Testament, she would have been stoned to death. Why did Jesus save her? Look back at the words He said. If it was all because the Pharisees weren't the kind of Government to punish them, or because the women hadn't been under accurate trial, then why did He tell the Pharisees that the one of them who was righteous may be the first to throw stones at her, instead of something else. Of all of the things He could have said, He chose those words. After He said those words, the Pharisees walked away (they were wanting to accuse Jesus using something he said and they had failed). Jesus asked the woman: "Who are they? Have they condemned you?" She said none of them had done so. Jesus said "Then neither do I condemn you. Go now, leaving your life of sin." Jesus had been the one who stopped the Pharisees, but after the woman had said they hadn't condemned her, He said he didn't either! If we look at the words he said, it's clear that he was talking against something hypocritical. The only two realistic interpretations:
(1) No one should kill for a sin they do or have done in the past.
(2) The Old Testament purpose for the death penalty had been abolished.
These two interpretations aren't only both reasonable, but both true. Genesis 9: 6: "Who sheds blood of a man will have his blood shed by another man, because in the image of God, is the image in which God has made man." Look at many other reasons God allowed the death penalty. The purpose for the death penalty in the Old Testament was to give people what they deserve for certain sins. Jesus stood against that reason for the death penalty in John 8: 1- 12. And it's clear that we have each broken every one of the commandments in at least one way potentially.
> The final and ending conclusive part of accurately interpreting what Jesus meant by His actions and words in John 8: 1- 12 is by examining His actions directly related to the subject. In the book of Acts, one of the greatest changes in the Bible occurred. A murderer was given a second chance and he became an Apostle of Christ. His name was Saul. On the road to Damascus, he saw Jesus up close. He later became baptized. In total, he wrote over 10 books in the Bible.
