AMERICA’S GUILT CULTURE AND JUSTICE – A Basic Understanding - PT1

Steven Garofalo M.A.A.      January 17, 2025

This series started as America’s Guilt Culture and the Death. I think this is important because we can be a “National of Laws”, but if we don’t properly execute the law, we quickly become “Lawless”. As a result, today, I want to start with some application in order to wade into this subject in parts rather than in one big article. In this multi-part series, we are going to look at the Death Penalty and what the Bible says about Capital Punishment or the “Death Penalty”.

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS-The Scriptures Are Clear

“Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in His own image” (Genesis 9:6).

Leviticus 24:17 states, "Whoever takes the life of any human being shall be put to death". 

REASONS WHY PEOPLE DON’T SUPPORT OR BELIEVE IN THE DEATH PENTALTY

1)    It’s wrong to kill. We all have the right to life and nobody deserves to be killed; despite what the Bible says. My response is directed at the “despite what the Bible says”. The thought that one’s virtue or self-proclaimed vision of goodness-if above God's Word is a sin and evil. All of God’s attributes are equal, including His mercy and His justice. God makes the rules, not us. The Bible is clear that to knowingly “murder” (premeditatively taking an innocent life) must be paid with the life of the murder of him or herself.

2)    Innocent people will be murdered if we have the death penalty: With the advent of DNA and modern science, changed social norms and the reduction of prejudice in society, the chances of being wrongly convicted are very low if existent at all. Furthermore, the Death Penalty mandates a bi-cameral system that mandates a separate hearing to see if one even qualifies for the death penalty to begin with. The argument is valid one in light of past culture and technology or lack thereof. In today’s world, with the advent of cameras, DNA, Cell phone data, etc. there is few places one can hide. This argument has been so abused in our modern age that innocent people are being murdered-namely those who are let out of jail after murdering to murder again. While possible, it’s highly unlikely for one to be wrongfully convicted and sentenced with the death penalty in our modern age.

3)    The Death Penalty is not a deterrent: The simple answer to this objection is that IF the death penalty would be applied SWIFTLY and WIDELY, it would have an immediate chilling effect on public behavior-especially the murder rate. At present, it takes at least a decade and in many cases much longer to execute a person who is on death row due to the length of the appeals process.

CONCLUSION

The United States or any nation can claim to be a “National of Laws”, but if we don’t properly and biblically execute the law, we quickly become a nation of “Lawlessness”. What the Bible says about Capital Punishment or the “Death Penalty” is just as true as any other Scripture reference in the Bible. We cannot choose to apply or don't apply, or we violate God’s laws, His Word, and His will. In our next entry (Part 2), I will show you in detail that Americans have become a “guilt culture” and how that has led to even more lawlessness-and (for many) a rejection of the death penalty against God’s Word.  Let's remember the Words of God who said, “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in His own image” (Genesis 9:6). "Whoever takes the life of any human being shall be put to death" (Leviticus 24:17) .

 Fearless Faith Sharing

Steven Garofalo M.A.A.   February 28, 2025

Have you ever been scared, ashamed or shy, failing to share our faith when you know that you should do so? Our modern world is very similar to the day when the Apostle Paul walked the streets of Corinth with a bold faith. Using Paul as our example, let’s worry more about living out the true message of the Cross and a lot less about what people think of us. 

THE DAYS OF CORINTH

During the Apostle Paul’s ministry, the city of Corinth, like many U.S. West and East Coast port (and non-port) cities was the most strategic city in Greece. Not even Athens was as strategic as Corinth during the time in history. This had to do in part with ships having to sail around Corinth and into some of the most dangerous waters in that part of the world. As a result, most ships avoided the waters by moving ships and cargo over land in one of two ways.

WAY #1: If it were a large ship, they would dock and move the cargo over land manually to a second ship parked on the other side.

WAY #2: If it were a smaller ship, they would move the entire ship over land to the other side.

As a result of being such a strategic location, there were upwards of 750,000 people living in Corinth at the time of Paul’s ministry. This takes us to Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians). 

1 Corinthians is a unique letter. Some call it Paul’s best sermon while others-his worst. The lesson in 1 Corinthians it simply that while we can RE-PACKAGE the message of the Gospel, it is an OFFENSE to the non-Authentic Christians of this world. It was an offense to the flesh in Paul's day and is the just the same to the people of the world today in the 21st Century. 

As a result of his reputation, Paul was invited to preach (1 Corinthians), trying to appeal to some of the world’s most highly educated, philosophically astute individuals. The people were wealthy, and self-reliant.

A RE-PACKAGED FAITH

Over the ages, the Word of God has (and cannot) change one iota, not a dot (Matthew 5:18). But, while God’s Word does not change, how we present it through the generations has. Sadly, in some cases, the re-packaged Gospel had left out the offense and power of the true Gospel message. 

PRESENTING THE GOSPEL RIGHTLY

When it comes to sharing Christ, we want to be loving, sensitive, gentile, relevant and respectful. But MOST of all, we want to be RELEVANT to the true message of Jesus Christ who went to the Cross for you, me and all who would receive Him.

THE CONSEQUENCE

When sharing your faith, people will at some point accuse you of being intolerant and judgmental. WHY? The answer is found in 1 Corinthians 4:10 whereby Paul says that we are considered fools for Christ for sharing the Gospel.

1 Corinthians 1:18 says, “for the message of the Cross is foolishness for those who are perishing”.

For the spiritually blind and dark, they will see our message as foolishness. But for those who seek God, He will open their eyes. Look at it God’s way-If someone considers you a fool for sharing Christ-at least you are in good company!

When we share the Gospel message, we are often considered fools. It’s not the Gospel’s fault and it’s not God’s fault. The problem lies with the heart of the person you are talking with. Our message is not foolish-it’s the people who listen but fail to accept Christ who are foolish. 

 “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believers. To the Jew first, but also to the gentiles” (Romans 116). It’s in the uncompromising Gospel where the power of God resides. And it’s in the uncompromising Gospels is where the power to save and to change people’s lives is. So, let’s worry more about giving out the true message of the Cross and a lot less about what people think of us. If we do that, lives will change, and the world will never be the same-but for the better.

PT3-A BIBLICAL SUMMARY OF THE DEATH PENALTY

Capital punishment, or the death penalty, refers to the execution by the state of those guilty of certain crimes involving First Degree Murder. Today, I am going to break down in greater detail what exactly Bible says about Capital Punishment-or the Death Penalty. This is part three of our three part serious on the death penalty, so let’s just jump right in.

Though some have opposed capital punishment for ideological or out of emotional reasons, it’s important to note that God mandated it’s use in the Bible. Now that we have seen Part 1 and 2 of this series, let’s jump in with both feet to look at God’s mandate for the death penalty, and break down what the Bible actually says about capital punishment or “the death penalty”.

THE BIBLICAL GOD GIVEN MANDATE FOR THE DEATH PENALTY

Most people don’t know or don’t realize that the Bible actually mandates the death penalty for crimes or in certain instances. According to the Merriam-webster.com dictionary, the word “MANDATE” is defined as “a formal order from a superior court or official to an inferior one”; an authorization to act given to a representative.”[i] In other words, “a formal order” disallows for that order to be disobeyed. To disobey an order by the police can get you arrested, shot or killed. To disobey an order in the military can get you punishment, including court marshalled. Let’s break down what the Bible means when it speaks to the Bible mandating the death penalty.

1)    The divine, Scriptural and divine mandate occurs FIRST-immediately after the Noahic Flood. God instructed Noah and his sons, saying: “Whoever sheds man’s blood by man his blood shall be shed” (Gen. 9:6 NASB).

2)    Human beings are created in the IMAGE OF GOD (Gen. 9:6). No other creature, great or small can say this. Only humans have logical minds able to think, process, understand and communicated as compared to all other creatures that exist only through instinct and natural mechanisms. As such, ALL human life is sacred, justifying a penalty as severe as death for crime of murder.

3)    Capital Punishment (the Death Penalty) is reserved for the state (government) not the individual. There is no place for personal revenge or retribution outside the bounds of the law: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, VENGENCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY, says the Lord” (Rom. 12:19). This is the state’s responsibility, as God’s civil servant on earth, to protect its citizens and to punish those who harm them (Rom. 14:4,6). This begs the question as to what we are to do when the state turns evil and persecutes good for evil and makes evil appear good for their own sinful advancement? “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20). The answer is too complex to address in full here because bleeds into “ethics and morality” which involves civil disobedience and dealing with the natural growth of such sinful governmental policies which grow into anarchy (as we saw in the early 2020’s), extreme patriotism, and possibly revolution. Suffice it to say that we are to sit back and rest on “civil disobedience” which is a refusal to do evil, even when the state mandates it as a first step.

4)    HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH? Capital punishment provides the state the means to apply the appropriate punishment for murder: “Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot” (Deut. 19:21 ESV).

ISN’T STATE (GOVERNMENT) VIOLATING THE SIX COMMANDMENT “YOU SHALL NOT MURDER” (Exodus 20:13)?

The state and only the state possesses the power of death to punish evil (Romans13:4; 1 Peter 2:13-14). This begs the question as to “WHAT” or “WHO” is EVIL. Evil are those acts identified by God as evil justify the use of Capital Punishment

God is the STANDARD for defining what is GOOD and what is EVIL. If this were not true, there would no abuse in what Nazi Germany did in killing millions of Jews.

The state does not violate the sixth commandment, saying, “You shall not murder” by it is proper executive and application of capital punishment. The Hebrew word “ratsach”, translated “kill” in some translations, refers to acts of murder or homicide. A different word, “harag”, often translated “kill” occurs more often in the Old Testament. Rather than violating the six commandments by capital punishment, the state supports the commandment by executing those who murder. The good news is that God provided us specific guidelines for those who would qualify for the death penalty. Let’s investigate further.

1)    The accused person must have committed a crime for which death is appropriate punishment. God sates: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot” (Deut. 19:21).

2)    Clear evidence of guilt must be provided by two or more witnesses (Num. 35:30; Deut. 17:6).

3)    Those charged with crimes must be treated in a uniform and impartial manner, regardless of the “status” (Deut. 1:17) or “class” (Lev. 19:15) of the offender. Our society, business, and especially our governmental-political system favors some people and discriminates against others because of class or status, or deprives some of adequate defense, intentionally or through neglect, diminishes its integrity and creates serious doubts about its administration of justice (Leviticus 24:22).

CONCLUSION

God instituted capital punishment as a legitimate option for every state. Its institution predates Israel’s birth as a nation and Moses’ divinely inspired directions for its governance, eliminating the possibility that it was mandated soley for Israel if you were wondering. God issued His guidance on capital punishment to ALL of earth’s only surviving people (Gen. 7:20-24). God’s instructions to them provided the foundation for all subsequence governments there forward. Because God mandates capital punishment prior to Israel’s establishment, at the very least, it is a legitimate response to murder in other societies.