Capital Punishment

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Capital Punishment
Is it Scriptural? What should the Christians
attitude be toward it? Does being humane have
any merit?
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Timothy McVeighs Last Words
Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit
from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be
for my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of
circumstance, I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeoning of chance my head is
bloody, but unbowed. Beyond this place of wrath
and tears looms but the horror of the shade, and
yet the menace of the years finds, and shall
find, me unafraid. It matters not how strait the
gate, how charged with punishments the scroll, I
am the master of my soul.
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Timothy McVeigh Unbowed, Unconquered?
Jesus answered them, Most assuredly, I say to
you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.
(John 834). Do you not know that to whom you
present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that
ones slaves whom you obey, whether of sin
leading to death, or of obedience leading to
righteousness? (Romans 616). But evil men and
impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving
and being deceived. (2 Timothy 313). For it is
written As I live, says the LORD, Every knee
shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess
to God. So then each of us shall give account of
himself to God. (Rom. 1411-12).
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Sin Hardens the Heart
Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you
are who judge, for in whatever you judge another
you condemn yourself for you who judge practice
the same things. But we know that the judgment of
God is according to truth against those who
practice such things. And do you think this, O
man, you who judge those practicing such things,
and doing the same, that you will escape the
judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of
His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not
knowing that the goodness of God leads you to
repentance? But in accordance with your hardness
and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up
for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and
revelation of the righteous judgment of God
(Romans 21-5).
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Captain of His Soul???
Then the dust will return to the earth as it was,
And the spirit will return to God who gave it.
(Ecclesiastes 127). But God said to him, Fool!
This night your soul will be required of you
then whose will those things be which you have
provided? (Luke 1220). But I will show you
whom you should fear Fear Him who, after He has
killed, has power to cast into hell yes, I say
to you, fear Him! (Luke 125).
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Theories of Men Fail
Truth Is Relative. Was McVeighs action True for
him? We Should Not Judge. Should we not Judge
this mans actions? Evil? Good?
Neutral? Barbaric Practice. Europe condemns USA
practice of it. Capital Punishment will not deter
crime.
The wise men are put to shame, They are dismayed
and caught Behold, they have rejected the word
of the LORD, And what kind of wisdom do they
have? (Jeremiah 89)
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Capital Punishment - Commanded
Whoever sheds man's blood, By man his blood shall
be shed, For in the image of God He made man.
(Genesis 96). Then the LORD said to Moses, The
man shall surely be put to death all the
congregation shall stone him with stones outside
the camp. So all the congregation brought him
outside the camp and stoned him to death with
stones, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
(Numbers 1535-36). It shall be that the one who
is taken with the things under the ban shall be
burned with fire, he and all that belongs to him,
because he has transgressed the covenant of the
LORD, and because he has committed a disgraceful
thing in Israel. (Joshua 715).
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Capital Punishment Practiced by God
And fire came out from the presence of the LORD
and consumed them, and they died before the LORD
(Lev. 102). And the anger of the LORD burned
against Uzzah, and God struck him down there for
his irreverence and he died there by the ark of
God (2 Sam. 67). When Aaron and his sons have
finished covering the holy objects and all the
furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is to
set out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come
to carry them, so that they will not touch the
holy objects and die(Num. 415).
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Capital Punishment Practiced by God
But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled
your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep
back some of the price of the land? While it
remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And
after it was sold, was it not under your control?
Why is it that you have conceived this deed in
your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.
And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down
and breathed his last and great fear came over
all who heard of it.Then Peter said to her, Why
is it that you have agreed together to put the
Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet
of those who have buried your husband are at the
door, and they will carry you out as well. And
immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her
last And great fear came over the whole church,
and over all who heard of these things (Acts
53-11).
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Capital Punishment Authorized by God
Every person is to be in subjection to the
governing authorities. For there is no authority
except from God, and those which exist are
established by God. Therefore whoever resists
authority has opposed the ordinance of God and
they who have opposed will receive condemnation
upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of
fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want
to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and
you will have praise from the same for it is a
minister of God to you for good. But if you do
what is evil, be afraid for it does not bear the
sword for nothing for it is a minister of God,
an avenger who brings wrath on the one who
practices evil (Romans 131-4).
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Capital Punishment Endorsed by Paul
If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed
anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die
but if none of those things is true of which
these men accuse me, no one can hand me over to
them. I appeal to Caesar. (Acts 2511).
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The Cross
Symbol of Love to Many Cruel Method of Capital
Punishment
For when we were still without strength, in due
time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely
for a righteous man will one die yet perhaps for
a good man someone would even dare to die. But
God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that
while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
(Rom. 56-8).
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just
for the unjust, that He might bring us to God,
being put to death in the flesh but made alive by
the Spirit. (1 Peter 318).
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Capital Punishment
Is it Scriptural? What should the Christians
attitude be toward it? Does being humane have
any merit?