The Death Penalty In Light Of The Gospel | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

The Death Penalty In Light Of The Gospel

If we believe in the power of the Gospel, we must believe it has the power to redeem even serial killers.

26
The Death Penalty In Light Of The Gospel
Philstar

I've often heard of this topic talked about. It's about the death penalty and whether or not it's good thing. Why not? With capital punishment, the world would be down a few more serial killers, and people would be able to sleep a little more soundly at night. Plus, lethal injection isn't a harsh or cruel punishment. Putting dangerous criminals in prison for life is just too expensive, and capital punishment would be the cheaper route. Statistically speaking most serial killers and other criminals do have some sort of mental disorder and most of the time these disorders are very hard, sometimes impossible, to break. So a lot of times we see capital punishment as the easiest, most efficient way to deal with the problem, and it really is. The statistics don't lie, and technically the world would be a better place if serial killers were just gone. The only thing is while we can be pro-death penalty, we must remember that people on death row are not past the point of redemption.

I remember going through the book of Leviticus and reading about all the various laws and how most of the penalties for the law was death. Sometimes we forget that the our sin does demand consequence and that consequence is death. Believe it or not capital punishment in principle is biblical. I'm not someone who can buck the system and demand that capital punishment should be done away with and I'm not saying we fight against it. For one the laws of our country tolerate it. Plus this debate on capital punishment isn't just political argument, it's a deep spiritual issue and it does not only involve human life, but a soul. Instead of focusing on fighting for a person's life, we should fight for their soul. In that maybe we can't save their flesh, we can certainly try, but maybe Jesus can change their heart. If we truly believe in the saving power of Jesus, we have to believe that Jesus doesn't only save liars and selfish people, but we have to believe that He has the power to wipe away the sins of serial killers and rapists.

We must not say that a person on death row is past the point of saving, because that would imply that to ourselves as well. If you look at Paul in the Bible, he was the equivalent to someone who was a terrorist. He purposely hunted down Christians and tortured them and killed them. According to God's divine justice Paul and the rest of us flawed people should pay the price for our sins, in eternal death. However, God transformed him into one of the greatest evangelists who also wrote over half the New Testament. If you look at King David, he was even worse. He took a man's wife, slept with her, and then sent her husband to the front lines to be killed in order that David wouldn't have to deal with the repercussions. The Bible is full of people who have done terrible things, things that us Christians today would deem as "big sins," but we have to believe that the love of Jesus is powerful enough to redeem every sin.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Does anybody know how to study
Gurl.com

It’s here; that time of year when college students turn into preschoolers again. We cry for our mothers, eat everything in sight, and whine when we don’t get our way. It’s finals, the dreaded time of the semester when we all realize we should have been paying attention in class instead of literally doing anything else but that. Everyone has to take them, and yes, unfortunately, they are inevitable. But just because they are here and inevitable does not mean they’re peaches and cream and full of rainbows. Surviving them is a must, and the following five phases are a reality for all majors from business to art, nursing to history.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

How To Prepare For The Library: Finals Edition

10 ways to prepare for finals week—beginning with getting to the library.

2156
How To Prepare For The Library: Finals Edition
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

It’s that time of year again when college students live at the library all week, cramming for tests that they should have started studying for last month. Preparing to spend all day at the library takes much consideration and planning. Use these tips to help get you through the week while spending an excessive amount of time in a building that no one wants to be in.

Keep Reading...Show less
girl roommates
StableDiffusion

Where do we begin when we start talking about our roommates? You practically spend every moment with them, they become your second family and they deal with you at your best and at your absolute worst. They are there to make you laugh just a little harder, cry a little less and make each day a little better. We often forget to thank them for the little things that they do to make college even a tiny bit easier and more fun. This list of 26 things are what you should thank your roommates for right this minute and every day that you live with them.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

20 Thoughts While Studying For Finals

I may or may not be stressing right now.

2518
Thoughts While Studying For Finals
StableDiffusion


That time of the semester has arrived once again, finals. The worst week ever. Who thought it was a good idea for all your classes to have exams all in the same week? Definitely not me. Here's 20 thoughts you may have studying for finals.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Disney magic for New Year!

The "Happiest Place on Earth" has a lot of characters with some pretty great advice.

7257
Disney magic kingdom castle on new years
StableDiffusion

Disney movies are well known and very popular in today's world. Although many people appreciate the plot and the storyline, not many people appreciate the wisdom these characters possess. Every Disney movie has unique advice that can be applied to everyday life. Here are 11 Disney quotes to help start your New Year off right:

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments