Blake Long

One of the bigger criticisms of those who are pro-life is the supposed hypocrisy of also being pro-capital punishment. Whether the criticism is levied from someone on the far-left or in the mushy middle, the claim is made that it’s inherently hypocritical to be pro-life and pro-death penalty.

Now, it’s good and right to think through these things. As Christians, we must be informed about positions we take, and the last thing we want to do is hold positions that are not simply untenable, but hypocritical. But most importantly, the positions we take must be biblical.

So, we ought to ask ourselves the question: is it consistent to be pro-life and pro-death penalty? Is it hypocritical to want the unborn child to live but be okay with the criminal being executed?

Of course, I’m arguing—along with many other Christians—that it’s more than consistent to be pro-life and pro-death penalty.

I think the issue comes down to the word killing, the taking of another’s life. In abortion and capital punishment, someone is being killed. I don’t think that’s controversial to say. I know many on the political left will object to me arguing that abortion is the killing of someone, but that’s another blog for another day. (And, honestly, that is proven by now.)

So why are we Christians — or just conservatives at the bare minimum — okay with capital punishment but not okay with abortion?

Abortion and capital punishment are not the same thing. This would be called a category error. Yes, killing is involved in both circumstances. The taking of one’s life is happening. But not in the same way, not for the same reason, not for the same intent.

Regarding capital punishment, criminals are given the death penalty because of a crime committed that was so heinous, so wicked, so perverse that a jury decided that capital punishment was deserved. For example, most would say the Boston marathon bomber deserves the death penalty. Why? Because he intentionally, purposefully, and with malicious forethought killed many people. It was premeditated.

Therefore, because of the heinousness of his crime, he is sitting on death row currently awaiting his execution. That will be justice served. Even more, the death penalty was instituted by God.

That is not remotely close to what abortion is. Abortion is not justice served; it is not a punishment for a crime committed. Abortion should be more equated with what the Boston bomber did than what the state carries out in capital punishment.

Wayne Grudem wrote:

The Bible teaches that human life begins at conception and therefore abortion is the unjust killing of an innocent human being.

In the same vein, here’s a quote from the late RC Sproul:

The Bible teaches that God is the creator of life, and He is the one who decides when life begins. Abortion is the taking of innocent life, and it is not to be tolerated in a society that honors the Lord.

It is a false equivalency to equate abortion and capital punishment. Abortion is the premeditated murder of an innocent unborn child in the womb (which should be the safest place on earth). Capital punishment is justice served on someone who, by a jury’s decision, committed a crime worthy of death.

Here’s another quote that really nails the issue:

When society, through the agency of its courts, decides to execute an individual, it does so only in response to overwhelming evidence or a “burden of proof.” This evidence has to demonstrate “beyond a reasonable doubt” that the person in question is actually guilty of crimes defined by the law as punishable by death. The sentence, when it is carried out, is not simply an “act of violence” against the condemned. It’s a corporate expression of an entire culture’s unwillingness to tolerate the crimes in question. Nothing of the kind can be said about abortion.

Christians are pro-life and pro-death penalty because we believe they are biblical positions. It’s not that we believe they are merely consistent, but that (1) God instituted the death penalty, and (2) God hates abortion. Greater than anything else, Christians desire to honor God in what we believe.