Sermon Audio Archive

What Must I Do To Be Saved?

From: 8/11/02

Question:

Does a Christian have to adhere to man's laws, and if so, what about the death penalty?

Answer:

We'll answer this question in two parts:

1) Yes, Christians have a responsibility to adhere to the laws of man. Paul told the Romans, "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation" (Romans 13:1-2). I Peter 2:13-14 says, "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether to the king as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well." Therefore, we see that Christians have a responsibility before God to obey the laws of men. That is, so long as these laws do not contradict the will of God. If/When such occurs, Peter teaches us, "We ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). When a law was passed forbidding prayer to God for 30 days, Daniel continued to pray to God with his window open (Daniel 6). Other examples could be given, but these show us that a child of God must obey the laws of the land so long as these laws do not contradict or force us to disobey God's word. In such a case, then we obey God!

2) Concerning the death penalty, we find that from Old to New Testaments, God has authorized the executing of certain ones. God told Noah that whoever sheds a man blood, will then have his blood shed, for men are made in the image of God (Genesis 9:6). Jesus recognized and declared that the Roman government had a right to execute evildoers when He declared that Pilate's power to take life was "given thee from above" (John 19:10-11). Paul made a similar statement when he told the Roman officials: "For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die ..." (Acts 25:11). The apostle to the Gentiles wrote to the Romans, saying,  "For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is a minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid: for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is a minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil" (Romans 13:3-4). Peter taught the same thing when he told those Christians that part of the responsibility of kings and governors was "the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well" (I Peter 2:14).

       Therefore, the death penalty (capital punishment) is a God-ordained responsibility, and our government has the right to exercise this power. While vigilante actions and similar things are forbidden (Romans 12:19), the government is God's power for punishing evildoers (Romans 13:3-4; I Peter 2:14), and Christians ought to respect the government's God-given power.

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