For centuries, the death penalty has been sustained across nations and continues to be active castigating and chastising system. Since the first execution in 1608, the United States participated in the continuance of the practice of capital punishment.
While opinions continue to divide within our nation, 35 States, including Pennsylvania, allow the death penalty. Within the past 34 years, 1,232 executions have ensued, and this year, 44 executions have occurred.
The Bible clearly informs its readers, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). Most of those sentenced to the death penalty have been convicted of this crime themselves.
Why do we think we should repay murder for murder? Frankly, that is mistake.
Many argue that the costly price of incarcerating these individuals is worth the alternative payment of execution. However, saving money on the cost of incarceration is not worth the death of another life. Favor of this needs to be abolished.
As believers in Christ, we must realize the importance of our stand in this matter. Let us consider how our role as Christians interplays with this debate. Due to free will, we all have been given a choice and, inevitably, each of us falls short. Whether it is a woman who commits murder or another who plagiarizes a piece of writing, they both have fallen.
Jesus completely sacrificed himself to erase all of our iniquities. I wonder, then, why we have we casted certain sins as unforgivable. God looks at every individual he created with grace in his eyes, grace meaning an unmerited favor from God. We have done nothing to earn such forgiveness.
Let us obey what our redeemer tells us: “Jesus said, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself'” (Matthew 22: 37-39).
Let it be so, that we can truly love our neighbor — including the claimed adversary.
Sources: www.antideathpenalty.org/history.html and www.deathpenaltyinfo.org