Capital Punishment and the Bible Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Ess

Capital Punishment and the Bible Capital punishment has evermore been an arguable issue and for good reason.The Old Testament clearly c entirelys for the closing penalty on many occasions,whereas many of the teachings of Jesus and others in the new testament readilydenounce it. Therefore, both advocates ands opponents of capital punishment feature Biblical references to support their beliefs. Opponents use the creation story to show that all are created in Godsimage. Genesis 127a states that God created man in his image.1 God, thus,has the power to give and take away life as he chooses. All men are to preservelife to the best(p) of their ability. M. Margaret Falls says that we can non treatpeople as mere instruments to personal survival, success or fulfillment.2 Advocates ordain also utilize Genesis 127 to prove that because man iscreated in Gods image, man must preserve as many lives as possible, Therefore,the death of one, who has murdered many, will spare the unsatisfying a nd countlessdeaths of others. Gods command to preserve life seems much more beta herethan the preservation of criminals. Capital punishment is never used legitimately in the New Testament.Jesus constant preaching of love and forgiveness shows his discourtesy for theharming of others. One example of love is found in John 1517 This is mycommand Love each other. An example of forgiveness is Matthew 614 For ifyou forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will alsoforgive you. Jesus practiced what he preached by not condemning guilty persons. InJohn 81-11, Jesus did not let the people stone a wom... ...Falls, M. Margaret, The Christian Century, Against the Death penalizationA Christian Stance in a Secular World, The Christian CenturyFoundation, Cicero, IL, 1986.Finlay, Terence J., The Ten Commandments, Charles Scribners Sons,NY, NY, 1961.Harrison, R. K., Numbers An Exegetical Commentary, Baker BookHouse, voluptuary Rapids, MI, 1992.Hoekema, David, The Christian Ce ntury, Capital Punishment TheQuestion of Justification, The Christian Century Foundation,Chicago, IL, 1979. divine Bible, New International Version, Zondervan Publishing House,Grand Rapids, MI, 1973.Kaiser, Walter C. Jr., Hard Sayings of the Old Testament,InerVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL, 1988.Steffen, Lloyd, Christianity and Crisis, moulding the First Stone,Christianity and Crisis, Inc., Syracuse, NY, 1990.