Administering The Death Penalty

In our present day society, we have certain groups of people who adamantly oppose the death penalty. It seems to make no difference that those charged (and proven guilty), are given the JUST PUNISHMENT for some of the most hideous crimes ever devised in the human heart and mind! You may have heard me speak before, about a particular, despicable incident in my home city that involved carjacking, rape, torture, perversion and murder of a young, beautiful and upstanding couple that were planning on being married soon. Their bodies were mutilated horribly, one set on fire, the other continuously raped and finally stuffed alive into a trash can and left to suffocate to death. The crime occurred in 2006 and finally, here in 2008, the four individuals have been brought to trial. (I wrote a letter to the Knoxville News Sentinel condemning the lengthy time it took to bring these people to trial, citing the following): Ecclesiastes 8:11 “Because 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.”

Another apt description of our judicial system is given in: Isaiah 59:4 “None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. 7. Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. 8. The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace. 9.Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us; we wait for light, and behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. 10. We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noon day as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.” And it continues on, giving the reasons we are having all these problems. A couple of verses reveal the end result: Verse 14. “And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. 15. Yea truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no judgment.”

This is our present society!

WHAT ABOUT THESE INDIVIDUALS? HAVE THEY ESCAPED THE PUNISHMENT THEY DESERVE BECAUSE THERE IS NO REAL JUSTICE IN THIS PRESENT EVILWORLD?

This same chapter reveals what is about to take place and WHO IS GOING TO BRING IT ABOUT!!

Isaiah 59:16 “And He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore His arm brought forth salvation unto Him; and His righteousness, it sustained Him. 17. For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon His head; and He put on the garments of VENGEANCE for clothing, and He was clad with ZEAL as a cloak. 18. according to their deeds, accordingly He will repay, FURY to His adversaries, RECOMPENCE to His enemies; to the islands He will repay recompence. 19. So shall they FEAR the name of the LORD from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. 20. And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD. 21. As for me , this is my covenant (new) with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and the words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.”

READ THIS CAREFULLY

Just a few months ago, the President of the Church of God New World Ministries, Mr. George Trent, gave a very inspiring and informative sermon entitled: “MINISTRATION OF DEATH”. I certainly don’t intend to add to nor change anything he gave in that sermon. But recently, I again listened to what he presented on that subject. I was greatly inspired and learned even more than I did on my first viewing of this DVD. I strongly urge those who have not had the opportunity to listen to this powerful message to do so by requesting your free copy of it from our web site, www.cognwm.org . Very, very briefly, I’ll tell you that he revealed from God’s Word the difference in how Old Testament Israel was subject to the “MINISTRATION OF DEATH” for disobedience to God’s Law, Statutes and Judgments. This was until Christ came, introducing the New Covenant, giving those who were called to repentance the opportunity to receive the Holy Spirit and beginning the “MINISTRATION OF LIFE”. (This is explained in several Scriptures, but mainly in Hebrews, chapters 8 & 9). I really feel this is one of those marvelous sermons that are only rarely given. PLEASE ORDER THIS! You’ll be glad you did!

So how or why did the idea for the sermon I’m giving today formulate in my mind?

“ADMINISTERING THE DEATH PENALTY”

I suppose I was thinking about the lack of justice and right judgments being administered in our country today. I still love this nation very much! I feel that I’m a very patriotic person. I am loyal to the laws that the duly elected leaders make and to those who enforce them. ( I can’t say I’m perfect in obeying every traffic law, but I consider myself to be a safe driver. I try to be courteous and observant.)

But, in the Old Testament, we find certain laws and penalties that to the carnal human mind seem terribly harsh. But remember that God was dealing with a carnal physical people and they could only understand physical things and physical punishments. Just after giving the Ten Commandments to a new generation of Israelites, notice what God said about them: Deuteronomy 5:29 “O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever”

THE FALL HOLY DAYS PICTURE THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST TO THIS EARTH. AND, THEY ALSO DEPICT THE ADMINISTERING OF THE DEATH PENALTY! JESUS CHRIST IS CAPABLE OF, AND WILL ADMINISTER THE DEATH PENALTY! Notice Zechariah 14:1 “Behold the day of the LORD cometh 2. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; 3. Then shall the LORD go forth, and FIGHT AGAINST THOSE NATIONS, as when He fought in the day of battle.” Verse 12 “And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; THEIR FLESH SHALL CONSUME AWAY while they stand upon their feet, and THEIR EYES SHALL CONSUME AWAY in their holes, and THEIR TONGUES SHALL CONSUME AWAY in their mouth.”

I wonder if anyone will COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS BEING CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT? This doesn’t appear to be some “sweet little Lord Jesus in a manger”, but a great, powerful King! Revelation 19:11 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth make WAR. 13. And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called The Word of God. 14. And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15. And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16. And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

The next five verses describe the beast and other kings of the earth striving to make war against this great conquering KING and their utter defeat. This coming beast (European dictator) and his religious consort, the Pope of the Catholic church, are immediately given the DEATH PENALTY, which is to be cast alive into a lake of fire! The rest of the vanquished army are slain with the sword and allowed to be eaten by vultures.

The true Saints of God will be allowed to share in the sentencing of these vile, murderous human beings as co-rulers with Jesus Christ! Revelation 20:4 “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and JUDGMENT was given unto them: ...; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”

WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF THE DEAD?

Well, you would have to know they are the masses of humanity who have died in an uncalled, unrepentant, unsaved condition. All true Christians will have been raised to immortality in the first or better resurrection at the return of Christ. Then for one thousand years, salvation will have been offered to all of humanity that live into or are born during that time period. Undoubtedly, some will reject the offer to “repent and be baptized everyone of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”: Acts 2:38. God’s standard or method does not change! In such cases, then God, through Jesus Christ, would have no choice but to ADMINISTER THE DEATH PENALTY! Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Revelation 20:10,14,15 “ And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” It appears there will be a “lake of fire” burning continuously throughout the millennium and reserved for the incorrigibly wicked who refuse to repent and accept the ways of God. It’s a type of the final “Hell fire” described in Malachi 4 and II Peter 3:12.

But the “Rest of the dead” are revealed in an Old Testament prophecy found in Ezekiel 37: 1-12 (Read) Here is plainly described the whole house of Israel being brought up in a physical resurrection. They will be given their first opportunity for salvation in a one hundred year time frame: ( Isaiah 65:20) (Ezek. 16:55 through 63 shows the Gentile nations being brought back to their “former estate”. (Again by a physical resurrection.) Among ALL of these physical human beings will be rapists, murderers, child molesters, perverts, evil dictators - the whole range of human depravity. Some may think they have “gotten by with” or gone “undiscovered” with a hideous crime in their former lifetime! BUT THEY HAVE NOT! God says, “Be sure your sin will find you out”: Numbers 32:23. Romans 2:4 “Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6. Who will render to every man according to his deeds.”

These people, as do all human beings, will have TWO CHOICES to make: 1. Fully “repent, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and receive the Gift of eternal life". Or, 2. REFUSE to accept the “goodness of God” and will not repent. They may have escaped the punishment they deserved in this worlds unjust courts but,

THEY WILL NOT ESCAPE THE DEATH PENALTY BY GOD ALMIGHTY!

God is said to be “no respecter of persons” in Romans 2:11. It also tells us that someday, I Corinthians 5:10 “For we must ALL appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” Those wicked unrepentant people will receive just punishment from the God of Righteousness. They will be put to death.

 
The Church of God, New World Ministries P.O. Box 5536 Sevierville, TN 37864