The February 18th issue of the Dayton Daily News reported the execution of serial killer, Frank Spisak Jr. Spisak was sentenced to death after being convicted of the shooting death of three men on the campus of Cleveland State University in 1982. Although this article made no mention of any protestors who were speaking out against his execution, we know that the death penalty is a very controversial subject in our society today. Events such as this execution provide opportunities to consider what the Bible has to say about the death penalty.
The Bible teaches that some crimes are deserving of death. "If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree" (Deut. 21:22). Paul said of the Gentiles who had given themselves over to sin, "who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them" (Rom. 1:32).
There are many different crimes that were to be punished by death under the Law of Moses. Among them were idolatry (Deut. 13:6-10), witchcraft and sorcery (Ex. 22:18), blasphemy (Lev. 24:11-23), disobedience to parents (Deut. 21:18-21), adultery (Lev. 20:10), homosexuality (Lev. 20:13), and rape (Deut. 22:25-27).
The Law of Moses also taught that the crime of murder was to be punished by death. "He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death" (Ex. 21:12, cf. Lev. 24:17). However, like our own law, the Law of Moses made a distinction between murder and manslaughter. Accidental deaths were not to receive the death penalty. "Whoever kills his neighbor unintentionally, not having hated him in time past - as when a man goes to the woods with his neighbor to cut timber, and his hand swings a stroke with the ax to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle and strikes his neighbor so that he dies - he shall flee to one of these cities and live" (Deut. 19:4-5). In providing cities of refuge throughout the land of Israel, God granted protection and justice for the one who had taken life unintentionally.
The existence of the death penalty for murder actually predates the Law of Moses. It is a part of God's eternal moral law which is to govern all of mankind. After the flood, God told Noah, "Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man's brother I will require the life of man. Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man" (Gen. 9:5-6). The Law of Moses has been done away with, but this eternal principle is still in force today. In God's eyes, it was right for Spisak to be executed for his crime.
One criticism against the death penalty is that an innocent man can be put to death. There have been incidents in which new evidence has been discovered that has overturned guilty verdicts. However, no one can overturn the sentence of one who has been wrongly put to death. Such would be a great tragedy and injustice, but it is not a reason to do away with the death penalty.
Great care must be taken in establishing one's guilt. Under the Law of Moses, God provided strict guidelines to be followed in determining if one was guilty of a crime deserving of death. Reports of crimes that were to be punished by death were to be carefully investigated before a punishment was to be administered. "Then you shall inquire, search out, and ask diligently. And if it is indeed true and certain that such an abomination was committed among you..." (Deut 13:14). A defendant's guilt had to be established by multiple witnesses before he could be put to death. "Whoever kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses; but one witness is not sufficient testimony against a person for the death penalty" (Num. 35:30). When a murderer confesses his crime (as was the case with Spisak), there is no question of his guilt. An uncoerced confession does away with the need for witnesses to establish guilt.
Punishment of a crime must be pursued as a matter of justice, not man's vengeance. Christians must resist the temptation to seek vengeance. "Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord" (Rom. 12:19). The pursuit of vengeance poisons one's heart and clouds one's judgment. No decisive, irreversible action should be taken when one is at the mercy of his emotions.
Punishment must be administered in a timely manner. The overall purpose of civic government is to ensure the peace for law-abiding citizens. If there is no punishment for breaking the law then there is no peace for the people. "Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil" (Eccl. 8:11). One way in which the state of Ohio has failed its citizens is in waiting so long to execute Spisak. The article said that he was executed "28 years after being sentenced." He committed his crime in 1982. I was in elementary school at that time. My graduating class recently celebrated its 20 year reunion! I do not call that a speedy execution for anyone, especially for a man who confessed to committing his crime. What kind of a message does that send to the public? When it comes to our country's practice of punishing criminals, we are reaping what we have sown.
Finally, we need to remember that there is something worse than losing one's physical life for committing a crime, and that is losing one's eternal soul because of his sin. As Jesus said, "do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matt. 10:28). While the wages of sin is death, God offers to pardon us of our guilt and give us eternal life (Rom. 6:23). Repentance and obedience to the gospel may not remove the earthly consequences of our sins, but it will remove the spiritual consequences, which are far worse than anything that can be done to a man in an execution chamber.
Regardless of the opinions of protestors and politicians, the views and values of a Christian must be in accordance with the word of God. The Bible supports the death penalty in the case of murder. The punishment must meet the crime, and must be administered carefully, judiciously, and in a timely manner.