From a Biblical perspective I would encourage you to support the death penalty. Here's why:
1. First Mention
As early as the 9th chapter of Genesis, God said: "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, BY MAN SHALL HIS BLOOD BE SHED: for in the image of God made he man." (9:6). Believe it or not, this was the first order God ever gave concerning the institution of human governments Think about that!
2. When God Gave The Law
The Lord really began to get specific concerning moral principles governed by law as he dealt with the nation of Israel through his man Moses. Yes, God legislated morality! It's humorous to hear people parrot the lie, "You can't legislate morality. " Folks, the reason you can't steal from a bank is because we have legislated morality. The reason you must wear clothes in public is because we have legislated morality. The reason you can't shoot your neighbor is because we have legislated morality. The reason you can't rape a woman is because we have legislated morality, etc., etc., etc. Strange- most laws in one way or another have to do with the legislating of morality.
Here are a few examples of God's instruction to Israel through Moses: "He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death. But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbor, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die." Exodus 21:12,14.
According to my research of the first 5 books of the Bible (The Law), there are over 40 references to when the death penalty should be enforced, and various reasons for it including murder.
Numbers 35:16-18 says, "And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. Or if he smite him with a hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death." Numbers 35:30-31 says, "Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses, but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death" .
3. What About The 6th Commandment
Pacifies and "bleeding heart" liberals love to quote the 6th of the 10 Commandments, "Thou shalt not kill," to try and correlate their position with Christianity. Christianity, however, is NOT a mamby-pamby, lovey-dovey, you can do whatever you want, God will pat you on the head and say - "It's Okay" religion.
"Thou shalt not kill" means "Thou shalt do no murder." That is the way Jesus Christ interpreted it himself in Matthew 19:18. To say the 6th commandment applies to capital punishment is to load the Bible with contradictions! 40 of them at least! That's insensible hermeneutics. Jesus was speaking of premeditated, cold-blooded murder of an innocent victim.
4. The Purpose Of Government
The New Testament also addresses this subject. Romans 13:1-4 says, "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist shall receive themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil. Be afraid- for he beareth not the sword in vain: For he is the minister of god, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil."
5. A Great Deterrent To Crime
God's laws of justice require "diligent inquisition'' (Deuteronomy 19:18) to ensure that no one is punished unjustly. The guilty however must be punished, and the severity of capital punishment serves an important purpose for a society. What is that purpose? To deter future crimes. Proof of this, God's wisdom, is found in Deut. 19:20, "And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you."
There you have it! The death penalty does deter crime in two ways:
1. The criminal will never commit the crime again. (obviously.)
2. Those that hear of the sentence will fear to commit the same crime.
The death penalty is a sensible path to insure peace and safety in a society, where criminals are punished, not innocent people and their families.
Read on: We're all on Death Row
"...We have this sentence of death in us." the Apostle Paul said. He also said as divinely inspired: "All have sinned" and "the wages of sin is death." Ezekiel added, "The soul that sins, it shall die." The Apostle John added to all this further, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Revelation 21:8 We are all behind bars. We are not in a jailhouse. Perhaps we have never been in court, but we are guilty. Guilty of sin and of the crucifixion of Christ. We will all die physically some day and for the unsaved a second death (read Luke 16:19-31)-
The good news is that we can be saved from our sins and delivered from sin's penalty, sin's power and someday in Heaven, from sin's presence. This can only be done through Jesus Christ. Romans 5: 1,9 says, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him."
Christ died for your sins. Paid your death penalty for you. Took your place. Was your substitute. Don't waste his sacrifice by refusing Him as your Saviour. Only through Him can your record be clean and your death penalty absolved.
Ask Him to save you from your sins and come into your life as your personal Saviour today!
