That's a red herring to the question of whether the death penalty could have been rightly applied to the adulterous woman had conditions been different, or whether the death penalty is right at all. I don't deny that Jesus is merciful, but remember that he also condemns. "All mercy" wouldn't be correct, though he is very merciful.
By ALL I don't suggest all will be saved. But for those who are saved, He is all merciful. And we are to strive to walk as He did, correct?
I agree with this and do my best to practice it. Every Christian must do the same. But I haven't put words in Jesus mouth in this discussion.
If you're suggesting that Jesus supports capital punishment then you are putting words in His mouth. Because He's never said that nor suggested it. In fact, His actions of mercy throughout His life contradict that thought process, all together. If I've misunderstood your original posts, then this point is off topic and I apologize for making an assuming based on that misunderstanding.
If the law is just and good, then the commands for capital punishment are just and good. If one must harbor hatred, anger, or revenge in your heart to seek to have someone executed, then the law must be calling for hatred or anger at certain times, and call it "good." You've just put yourself in a bind with your own words.
Not at all. The law is not for man to impose. It is for God to judge by, as we as Christians are free from the law. The law is what God uses to judge the unrighteous as laws are not created for the righteous but for the unrighteous, alone.
What governments do has nothing to do with our walk with Christ through the Spirit. We don't have to believe as the courts of non-belivers do. We are to walk as Christ did, in mercy, love and forgiveness. That was Jesus' whole point, is it's not about the law. It's about love, mercy and forgiveness. Exactly what we want from Him is exactly what He expects us to show to others. So, if we expect Him to give us love, mercy and forgiveness, then we need to do the same, without exception. For how we judge, He will judge us and by what measure we judge, He will judge us by that same measure.
It's my belief that most people are using the bible incorrectly, which is evident by the amount of discussions about sin, sin, sin and law, law, law., probably out of no fault of their own. But God did leave instructions on how to use the scriptures:
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. 2 Tim 3:16-17
Notice this
doesn't say, "profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in the judgement of sin or the law." It doesn't say that, because that's not what scripture is for. You are free from the law and sin is dead having been nailed to the cross. We are to be walking in righteousness, not judging by the letter of the law. You can not serve two covenants. If you serve the law, then you will be judged by the law. And to break one law is to break them all. Or, you serve righteousness and are under grace. The choice is yours my brother but I pray ALL will choose grace because ALL fall short of the Glory of God.
Christ would not condemn OBL to death by capital punishment, on this earth and there is no scriptural evidence to support such a charge. How OBL will be judged once dead, is God's decision alone. Our focus should be on offering love, mercy and forgiveness in our hearts and if we're supporting the death of someone else then our hearts are not filled with love, mercy and forgiveness but rather, hatred, anger and revenge.
