Does Christianity approve of the death penalty, or is it against God’s will, considering that human life is in His hands, and He alone holds authority over life and death?
Answer:
Indeed, human life and death are in God’s hands. But God Himself is the one who commanded the death penalty for the murderer. After Noah’s ark rested, God said in the Book of Genesis:
“Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed.” (Genesis 9:6)
So, the execution of a murderer is not against God’s will. Rather, God is the one who commanded that the blood of a person who shed human blood should also be shed. He also said in this context:
“From his fellow human I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being.” (Genesis 9:5)
Thus, God commanded the shedding of the murderer’s blood, to be carried out by those given authority to do so.
God imposed the penalty of execution for the murderer, saying:
“Do not show pity. Life for life.” (Deuteronomy 19:21)
This was meant to be a judicial ruling. He gave important reasons for it:
“Do to him as he intended to do to his brother. You must purge the evil from among you. The rest will hear and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing be done among you.” (Deuteronomy 19:19–20)
Let us not forget that God punished the first murderer on earth—Cain, who killed his brother Abel. God said to him:
“Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.” (Genesis 4:10–11)
The Lord also delegated authority to the ruler of the land to execute judgment. The Apostle Paul wrote:
“Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended… But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.” (Romans 13:3–4)
Therefore, Christianity does approve of the death penalty for the murderer.
We also observe that King Solomon ordered Benaiah the commander to kill Joab, even though Joab had fled to the horns of the altar. Solomon said to Benaiah:
“Strike him down and bury him, and clear me and my father’s house of the guilt of the innocent blood that Joab shed. May the Lord return his blood on his own head, because he struck down two men more righteous and better than he.” (1 Kings 2:31–32)
