No problem, Be it resolved!

Don

God’s word doesn’t say anything of the sort. Genesis 9:6 is part of the old Mosaic law that doesn’t apply anymore – It is not “the commandments of Christ in the Gospels”. If you’re going to use that passage in Genesis, what about the book of Leviticus that talks about not wearing certain types of fibers, or not eating certain types of foods, or animal sacrifice and how necessary it is? Do you still abide by all these things?

Romans 13:4 and the verses around it are talking about the purpose of a civil government and it upholding social order – it doesn’t say anything about killing people. In one verse it says “to execute wrath on him who practices evil”, but in that instance the word execute means “to carry out”. In the following verse Paul goes on to say that the Church and state are distinct, and if the state is forcing people to do evil, it is better to follow the word of God. I see absolutely nothing about killing people in any of these passages.

As for 1 Timothy 1:8-11, those verses are talking about how the law is good. “it is good because God gave it (Rom. 7:16). It was 1) A schoolmaster for God’s chosen people to confront and control their sin until the Incarnation of His Son FULFILLED THE LAW and 2) A Guide to lead all people to Christ”

Don, the fact is that you seem to be stuck in Old Testament law and can’t seem to accept the teachings and commandments of Christ – of forgiveness and redemption. We fundamentally disagree and I don’t think it would be productive to continue this conversation – You may if you like, but I think I’m going to lay my pen down 🙂 God bless

What part of Genesis 9:6 do you not understand? What part of Romans 13:4 do you not understand? It does not matter what your church says, God’s word says He instituted it.

Let’s look at another passage. Paul wrote in 1 timothy 1:8-11: “But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.” Paul writes that laws that deal with murderers and manslayers i.e., capital punishment are sound doctrine and according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God. So don’t tell me what your church says, because God’s word says something different; and as Romans 3:4 says, “…let God be true and every man a liar;” The interesting part in all of this is that God’s word prophesies that the time would come when people in the church would not hold up sound doctrine. Check out 2 Timothy 3:16-4:4. The interesting thing in all this Jayhuck is the fact the more you or your church deny what the word of God says, the more you fulfill it.

Don

“WHEREAS Orthodox Christians should be called to go beyond the political, social, and legal issues raised by capital punishment and recognize and address the deeper moral, ethical, and religious questions of the supreme value of human life in a manner consistent with our opposition to abortion and mercy killing, and in all such questions involving life and death the Church must always champion life; and

WHEREAS in an effort to further the respect for all human life and to witness to the redemptive nature of the Gospel of Jesus Christ who Himself prevented the legal execution of a woman (John 8:3-11) and realizing that premature death resulting from the application of the death penalty can prevent the rehabilitation, reconciliation, and redemption of the offender; and

WHEREAS, while we recognize the necessity to punish those guilty of violent crime, we also recognize that there is no humane way to execute a human being;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Ninth All-American Council of the Orthodox Church in America supports the abolition of the death penalty in this and all countries and does urge our elected and appointed officials in those states where prisoners are still executed to introduce and support appropriate legislation aimed at abolishing the death penalty;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Council requests all governors of states where the death penalty is still in force to halt all further executions according to the power of their office, but that legislative provisions be made for life imprisonment without possibility of parole for those subject to the death penalty;

FINALLY, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Ninth All-American Council of the Orthodox church in America supports and encourages religious bodies, organizations and human rights groups which seek the abolition of the death penalty.”

“Yes there have been problems within each of them but whether we like it or not it was instituted by God. ”

They were not instituted by God – If anything, God in Christ told us that they are morally wrong. Roman Law and the teachings of Christ were often opposed to each other.