10/16/2026
Is Capital Punishment Biblical?
In the past couple of weeks, we’ve seen two high profile cases of capital punishment about to be or recently meted out from our neighbours to the south. One a botched attempt resulting in emergency care and then partially recovering. The second involving a potential publicly televised ex*****on of the Fort Hood shooter from 26 years ago. For the Christian, this should cause us to ask the question, what does God say about capital punishment?
In the Old Testament its very clear capital punishment was God approved for certain heinous crimes. Murder was a crime worthy of capital punishment. Genesis 9:6 says “whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” It’s because we are God’s image bearers that murder requires the life of those who shed blood. God’s image is so precious to him that he would protect others from the same fate. Chattel slavery was a crime worthy of capital punishment since it too destroys God’s image bearers. Exodus 21:16 tells us that “whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.” Cursing and striking your mother and father was also a crime worthy of death because parents were viewed as holding the authority of God. To rebel against a parent, is to rebel directly against God.
It must be stated that these and many of the other laws listed in the OT were national laws designed specifically for the nation of Israel. It takes wisdom, discernment and maturity to determine which ones applied then and which ones carry forward. Many Western nations including Canada adopted capital punishment laws from scripture until 50 years ago, when Canada abolished the practice. We can conclude God’s Word allows for and even commanded capital punishment.
Romans 13 makes it clear that God gives his authority to governments who do not “bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the evildoer.” Governments that choose to have capital punishment for capital crimes are serving under the very authority of God. This can clearly be taken too far in countries where crimes of so called “blasphemy” and “apostacy” result in the death penalty. But murderers, mass or otherwise receive God’s justice when the death penalty is enacted. This causes some opponents of Christianity to ask the question how does a pro-life position and capitol punishment go together? How can you be against abortion/euthanasia and in favour of the death penalty? How might we answer this?
The answer lies in this, innocent life. Babies in the womb are innocent. They have committed no crime; they are defenseless image bearers of God. Those requesting MAID are also innocent. They have committed no crime worthy of death. Therefore, government approval of either isn’t justice and it isn’t from God. It is murder of innocent life, regardless of circumstances, and those complicit in it will stand before a just God and answer for their crimes. (Heb.9:27) Conversely, a person on death row has been proven guilty of murder and has forfeited their life, because they have taken life. This is justice. As Christians we should view all life as a precious, God given thing. He’s the one who determines our days (Job 14:5), not us. We should never take pleasure in the death of someone, including viewing public ex*****ons. God certainly doesn’t (Ex.33:11). And we should always leave vengeance to God (Rom. 12:19). Capital punishment while a terrible thing, is sometimes a necessary thing and is the enactment of God’s justice here on earth by those who have his authority to bear the sword.
Pastor Kevin Furtney
