As far back as the days of Noah, God prescribed the death penalty for murder. And He explained why: human beings are made in the image of God. Killing a man or woman thus not only involves taking someone’s life. It is also an attack on God Himself. Christians are thus called to protect all human life.

But if all that’s true, we must be just as reverent with the lives of killers as we are with their victims. That’s why the Law of Moses says that, although premeditated murder calls for the death penalty, killing someone by accident or in the heat of passion should receive a lesser sentence. In fact, God’s people eventually set up six different cities of refuge to which killers could escape the vengeance of their victims’ family members until they could receive a fair trial (Exodus 21:13; Numbers 35:9-14). No matter how guilty anyone may appear at first glance, vigilante justice such as lynching is thus out of the question.

Moreover, Exodus 21:18-21 makes it clear that someone should only be considered guilty of murder if his crime is undeniable and there is no other possible explanation. That’s why, if some time passed between a person’s injury and his death, his attacker would not be guilty of murder, however responsible he might be for the victim’s medical bills and his lost wages.

So, what does all this mean for us modern Christians? We are to treat all human life as precious, indeed as sacred. But our care for human beings must extend, not just to those we consider to be innocent, but also to those we might deem unworthy of our concern. So, if we are truly to be pro-life, shouldn’t we be as diligent to defend the rights of the accused and convicted as we are the rights of the unborn? After all, since we all deserve the death penalty for the crimes we have committed against God, surely we should strive to be merciful to those who have earned the same treatment at the hands of the state.

Exodus 21:12-14, 18-21 (NASB)

12 “He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.
13 “But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint you a place to which he may flee.
14 “If, however, a man acts presumptuously toward his neighbor, so as to kill him craftily, you are to take him even from My altar, that he may die.

18 “And if men have a quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist, and he does not die but remains in bed;
19 if he gets up and walks around outside on his staff, then he who struck him shall go unpunished; he shall only pay for his loss of time, and shall take care of him until he is completely healed.
20 “And if a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod and he dies at his hand, he shall be punished.
21 “If, however, he survives a day or two, no vengeance shall be taken; for he is his property.

Genesis 9:5-6 (NASB)

5 “And surely I will require your lifeblood; from every beast I will require it. And from every man, from every man’s brother I will require the life of man.
6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man.