In this final article I want to turn your attention to Romans chapter 13. But before I do, I am aware that the argument has been made that the laws against murder and for capital punishment belong in the Old Testament and do not apply to today. That argument is nonsense. God gave the law against murder when He made His covenant with Noah. This was a new beginning after the flood and God reaffirmed the Creation commands, added the law against murder, and changed man’s diet.

Rom.13 makes it very clear that God is involved in the ruling affairs of the nations. The teachings found in this chapter are repeating what is already taught in the Old Testament. Consider the following verses :

Psalm 9:7 “But the Lord sits enthroned forever; He has established His throne for justice.”

Psa.103:19, “The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all.”

Dan.2:21, “He (God) removes kings and establishes kings.”

Da.4:17, 32, “The Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, And [He] bestows it on whomever He wishes.”

Rom.13:1, “there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.”

The ruler is a minister (servant) of God (vss.4 & 6) regardless of gender or religious persuasion. He/she is chosen by God to serve the nation and will answer to God for his/her rule. The chapter makes it clear that rulers are under God’s authority, and hence they are called to rule responsibly and justly, since God Himself will judge them in accord with what they have done as His servants.

God requires that their rule must encourage (even compel) good behavior. The ruler must have an iron fist in a velvet glove. Those who do good must see and experience the velvet glove.

Those who do evil must be made to fear the rulers by seeing and experiencing the iron fist. The ruler is God’s “avenger who brings wrath (punishment) on the one who practices evil.” The God who said in Rom.12:19, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay”, has delegated His authority into the hand of the ruler to take vengeance on those who break the laws of the land.

The ruler must be “a cause of fear … for evil”. That which God has required is very clear. Punishment must be of such a dreaded nature, it must instill fear and even the willingness to change in the evildoer (self-rehabilitation). The primary responsibility God has given to the ruler for dealing with the lawless is punishment that instills fear. But today, in rebellion against God, and in the name of humanity and compassion, etc., the focus has changed and shifted away from punishment that instills fear. The great concern is for the humanity of the lawless without a thought for the humanity of the victims and those who must suffer because of the crime committed.

Furthermore, God has given to the ruler, as His avenger, the power of the sword. (vs.4). The ruler “does not bear the sword for nothing.” The sword is not a meaningless display, without cause and purposeless. The sword is the symbolism of the death penalty. The ancient magistrate habitually carried a sword to make clear his power to punish, and to do so even with the death penalty.

Now let us get this clear. Jesus was unjustly put to death by the wicked Jewish religious rulers and the cowardly Pilate. Peter did not mince his words when he brought his accusations against the Jews in his Pentecost sermon. Paul stated in Acts 25:11, “If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die.” Eventually, Paul would be executed on Nero’s orders for the crime of being a Christian. Herod put James to death for the crime of being a Christian. (Acts 12:2).

The Bible recognizes that unjust/corrupt rulers will execute innocent men. But, even in the face of this fact, God did not rescind the death penalty. When rulers rescind or refuse to carry out the death penalty, they are servants of God who are rebelling against God. And they will stand before God in the final judgment with hands filled with the blood of the murdered who are still crying out for justice.

The ultimate death penalty will be imposed by God for sin. 1Jn.3:4 defines sin as lawlessness. This death penalty is called the “second death, the lake of fire” (Rev.20:14). All who are without salvation in God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, will be cast into the lake of fire for all eternity. Jesus described the lake of fire as “eternal fire” and “eternal punishment” (Matt.25:41, 46). “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:31).