An LDS View of Capital Punishment!

Recently I had a chance to enter an online chat with a group of LDS people. The purpose of the group was to talk about modern topics according to an LDS perspective. On entering this dialogue I assumed that the viewpoints would all be relatively the same. This turned out not to be the case!

Official View of the LDS Church

The topic of discussion was on Capital Punishment, which I thought would be an interesting topic to share with you, the reader. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' official view on capital punishment is found at: http://newsroom.lds.org/official-statement/capital-punishment  The statement reads as follows: "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints regards the question of whether and in what circumstances the state should impose capital punishment as a matter to be decided solely by the prescribed processes of civil law. We neither promote nor oppose capital punishment."

This statement shows two things: first the LDS Church believes the civil authorities should decide if capital punishment should be used. Second, the Church is not going to promote or oppose such laws! As good citizens it is up to us to vote in laws and enforcers of those laws. We are fortunate as an LDS people because the scriptures have much to say on capital punishment. (In this post I will only be referring to the capital punishment of murderers.)

The Arguments that Spawned this Discussion

The LDS group I talked with used some scriptures out of context, to show why they believed murderers should not be killed. They used Ezek 33:11 "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked," and Ex 20:13 "Thou shalt not kill." For Ezek 33:11 this scripture does not show that the murderer ought not to die, it just states that the Lord does not delight in their death! As for Ex 20:13, the reader would only need to read 25 more verses to see that "thou shalt not kill" doesn't refer to capital punishment. This verse is in fact giving the command not to murder and if you do Ex 21:12 says "He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death." 

What the Old Testament teaches about Capital Punishment

The scriptures are pretty clear and consistent with what the punishment ought to be for murderers.

 Gen 9:6 "whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed."

 Ex 21:12 "He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death."

Lev 24:17 "And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death."

Lev 24:21 "And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death."

Num 35:16 "And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murder: the murderer shall surely be put to death."

Num 35:17 "And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death."

Num 35:18 "Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death."

Num 35:30-31 "Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death."

The Book of Mormon on Capital Punishment

In fact the other books of scriptures echo what has been stated above.

2 Ne 9:35 "Wo unto the murderer who deliberately killeth, for he shall die."

Alma 1:13 "And thou hast shed the blood of a righteous man, yea, a man who has done much good among this people; and were we to spare thee his blood would come upon us for vengeance."

Alma 1:18 "And they durst not steal, for fear of the law, for such were punished; neither durst they rob, nor murder, for he that murdered was punished unto death."

Alma 30:10 "But if he murdered he was punished unto death."

Alma 34:11-12 "Now, if a man murdereth, behold will our law, which is just, take the life of his brother? I say unto you, Nay But the law requireth the life of him who hath murdered."

Alma 42:19 "Now, if there was no law given-if a man murdered he should die-would he be afraid he would die if he should murder?"

Doctrine and Covenants on Capital Punishment

In addition to these examples modern day revelation also confirms the fate of murderers. D&C 134:8 teaches   "We believe that the commission of crime should be punished according to the nature of the offense: that murder, treason, robbery, theft, and the breach of the general peace, in all respects, should be punished according to their criminality and their tendency to evil among men, by the laws of that government in which the offense is committed." So what type of punishment would fit the offense for a murderer? D&C 42:19 tells us "And again, I say, thou shalt not kill: but he that killeth shall die." To clarify who should administer the punishment of death in the case of a murderer D&C 42:79 states "And it shall come to pass, that if any persons among you shall kill they shall be delivered up and dealt with according to the laws of the land." Also consider this point; some people believe that though you should not put a murderer to death for his crimes, it is perfectly right to protect yourself even to the shedding of blood. “We believe that men should appeal to the civil law for redress of all wrongs and grievances…but we believe that all men are justified in defending themselves, their friends, and property, and the government, from the unlawful assaults and encroachments of all persons in times of exigency, where immediate appeal cannot be made to the laws, and relief afforded.”(D&C 134:11) If you believe that it is wrong to put a murderer to death after he has committed his crime, then it should be doubly wrong to kill him before he has committed it!

New Testament Does not Rescind Capital Punishment

Paul refers Timothy to the use of civil laws "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 murders of mothers, for manslayers"( 1 Tim 1:8-9) Paul knowing the righteousness of capital punishment made a defense before the civil authorities in his own cases "Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest. For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die"(Acts 25:10-11)

Conclusion

With the above scriptures given, I posed a question that has yet to be answered: where in the scripture that says the life of the murderer should be spared?

Some people may try to argue for, the exception to the rule, in the case of murderers. But the scriptures have been very clear and consistent in regards to how God instructs us to punish those who murder!  Some people may believe in prolonging the life of a murderer in hopes that they will repent. But they forget that the final judge (GOD) believes he can better pass judgment on murderers once they have paid the penalty for their crimes....and who are we to deny him that appointment!?!

The Rapture

Many protestant friends of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints want to know if we believe in the rapture of the "church” (Rapture: The catching away of true believers to meet Christ in the air, sometime before the Millennial era). The answer is we do...and we don't! It all depends on what version of the rapture we are talking about.

What are the views of the rapture?

Although many Protestants believe in the “rapture,” many of them view it differently amongst themselves.  (Tribulation:  The last 7 years before the 2^nd coming of Christ.)

1. Pre-tribulation View: belief that the believers of Christ will be caught up before the Great tribulation foretold in the book of Revelation.

2. Mid-tribulation View: belief that the believers will be taken after 3 1/2 years into the Great tribulation.

3. Post-tribulation View:  belief that the believers will be taken after all 7 years of the tribulation have passed.

The word “rapture” is not mentioned in the scriptures. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "caught up" found in 1 Thes 4:17. This is why the LDS people do not use the term rapture when referring to events that surround the second coming of Jesus.

But do the LDS believe in the rapture?

As LDS people we do believe that the scriptures teach true believers will be caught up to meet the Lord when he comes again. Matt 24 is the chapter where the disciples came to Jesus seeking to know when the destruction of the temple would come, the signs of Jesus coming and the end of the world (Matt 24:3). In Matt 24:21-22, Christ tells us that the elect would still be here during the great tribulation, "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened."

Christ then goes on to tell about his appearance right after this great tribulation and how all will see him together, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days...then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other"(Matt 24:29-31).

How will we be raptured?

The Lord informs us how the elect will be gathered from (Matt 24:40-41), "Then shall two be in the field: the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.” In the gospel of Luke, Jesus explains the same scenario of two together and one taken, and the Disciples ask Jesus where the one would be taken, "And he said unto them, wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together"(Luke 17:37). It appears they will be "raptured" up to meet the Lord in the air.

Paul, talking with the Corinthians, explained a mystery relating to how our bodies would be during this rapture transition. "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed"(1 Cor 15:50-52). The last trump is related to the resurrection of the dead and the "rapture" of the church, both seem to occur at the same time. During this time those who are alive at the coming of Christ will have their mortal bodies changed. And as the dead will be resurrected to meet Christ in the air, so we that live will be changed to meet with the Saints at Christ’s coming.

Paul explains it to the Thessalonians, "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord"(1 Thes 4:15-17).

What do modern scriptures say?

Doctrine and Covenants 88:95-99 elaborates on this scene for us;"And there shall be silence in heaven for the space of half an hour; and immediately after shall the curtain of heaven be unfolded, as a scroll is unfolded after it is rolled up, and the face of the Lord shall be unveiled; And the saints that are upon the earth, who are alive, shall be quickened and be caught up to meet him. And they who have slept in their graves shall come forth, for their graves shall be opened; and they also shall be caught up to meet him in the midst of the pillar of heaven- They are Christ's, the first fruits, they who shall descend with him first, and they who are on the earth and in their graves, who are first caught up to meet him; and all this by the voice of the sounding of the trump of the angel of God." This makes it very clear that the LDS view of a rapture would go hand in hand with the resurrection of the dead, during the second coming of the Lord.

D&C 109:75 assures us that "when the trump shall sound for the dead, we shall be caught up in the cloud to meet (the Lord), that we may ever be with the Lord." The LDS people do believe in this incredible experience that has been called by our friends "rapture." And we don't believe that it will come before the Lord makes his appearance the second time, but that the rapture will happen at the coming of the Lord.

Would the Lord allow us to suffer wrath?

Some of those who believe in a pre-tribulation view of the rapture claim that the rapture must happen before the great tribulation because the believers are not destined to suffer wrath. A scripture that is often cited is 1 Thes 5:9, "For God hath not appointed us to wrath." This usage of 1 Thes 5:9 assumes that the wrath spoken of is the great tribulation. Upon closer examination, we find that the wrath spoken of here has nothing to do with the great tribulation. In fact, the whole verse reads "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ"(1 Thes 5:9). We see that the wrath spoken of here is a wrath covered by the atonement of Christ, ie sin and death. This can be seen by the next verse, "who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him"(1 Thes 5:10). Also look at Rom 5:8-9, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him."

Not only do those scriptures show that the wrath is not the great tribulation, but speaking of the great tribulation the Savior taught, "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time...And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened"(Matt 24:21-22). Here the Lord tells his disciples that his elect would still be here during the tribulation.

What about the examples of saints being saved from tribulation?

Some have tried to argue that like Noah or Lot were taken out before the wrath of the Lord came upon them. So they reason that the believers of Christ would be raptured before the tribulation began. But this view goes to strengthen the LDS position, because in all these cases the saints were taken before immediate destruction came. So likewise all believers of Christ will remain until his second coming and then they will be raptured right before the immediate destruction of the wicked.

What the scriptures say about tribulation.

Nowhere in the scriptures does Christ mention a coming for his saints before that of his second coming! In Acts 14:22 Paul instructs the saints "Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." The promise is not given to members of Christ’s church that they will not have to suffer tribulation but just the opposite is said.

Those who believe that the believers of Christ will for some reason be spared tribulation in this life should reread all that Christ and the New Testament church went through for the gospel’s sake. In fact, in Revelation 13:7 John foresaw the evil powers of the last days had strength "to make war with the saints, and to overcome them." In D&C 63:33-34 the Prophet Joseph saw the events of the Last days "I have sworn in my wrath, and decreed wars upon the face of the earth, and the wicked shall slay the wicked, and fear shall come upon every man; And the saints also shall hardly escape; nevertheless, I, the Lord, am with them, and will come down in heaven from the presence of my Father and consume the wicked with unquenchable fire." 

In regards to the suffering of Christians, Peter tells us "Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?"(1 Pet 4:16-18)

Conclusion

In short the doctrine of “rapture" is scriptural, and the LDS people do believe in it, though we do not refer to it by that term. We simply call it the second coming of Christ! The LDS people have been instructed to be self-reliant and prepared for all kinds of emergencies, not just the great tribulation. On the other hand, many of our protestant friends believe that the rapture of the "church" will occur sometime before the great tribulation or before many of its great calamities. As a result of believing that they will not endure tribulations, they are also not preparing for those tribulations. So a good question to ask yourself is: who would you rather be with when the tribulation hits the fan, someone who doesn't believe they will be here for it and who hasn't prepared… or the LDS people!?!