It started with an interesting online post from a friend. He shared a video clip (from a movie portraying real events) of a woman killing in a courtroom the accused rapist and murderer of her daughter and rightly observed the “tension” we as Christians should feel toward such a matter. A sense of “solidarity” with the woman who lost her daughter to such an evil act yet not condoning the wanton act of vengeance. Surely, every Christian would feel that tension but still denounce the willful murder of another human being. Yet, some respondents became outright angry at the suggestion we should feel any tension toward her act of vigilantism. Many Christians in the thread applauded the woman’s act and voiced that they would do likewise.

The problem lies in how we as Christians perceive the application of biblical justice in this world. There is no argument that Scripture prohibits the acts of rape and murder. And it is God Himself who lays the punishment of the death penalty in Genesis 9:6:

“Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.”

God has not only condemned such sins but He has given us the command to enact righteous judgment on those who commit them. It is His application of justice in this world to hold accountable, and even take the life of, those who commit the most atrocious acts of evil. If this is the case, why then is it a problem for a grieving mother to take the law into her own hands and kill her daughter’s murderer? Because, despite the death penalty being a biblical precept, God has given us constraints on its application.

The Lord gave specific constraints to the people of Israel in Deuteronomy 35:9-29 concerning the “avenger of blood.” In this passage, the Lord commanded the establishment of “cities of refuge” to which a man could flee if he was responsible for the death of another. While in this city, a trial would be held to determine if the accused had committed murder or if the act had been unintentional. If the accused was found guilty of murder, the avenger of blood would take his life. If the death had been accidental, the man was required to live within the boundaries of the city until the high priest died. Were he to leave the city before that time, the avenger of blood was free to take the man’s life. However, upon the death of the high priest, the man could return to his own lands and his life could not be taken.

We see in this passage that God constrained if or when the death penalty could be applied and required that the accused be fairly tried to determine if he was guilty of a crime worthy of death. His justice demands that people be given the right to prove their innocence and that punishments be consummate with the crime. We cannot act outside of God’s boundaries. Had the avenger of blood killed the accused after a finding that he had not committed murder (and the man was still in the city), then he would have been guilty of murder himself. As Christians, we are not free to apply the concept of God’s justice in such a manner that we remain guiltless for violating the very laws and constraints he lays upon us.

While the Old Testament law regarding the avenger of blood gives us principles upon the application of justice, Christians must also look to the New Testament to see the principles we must operate under in the New Covenant. One place that gives us direct application is Romans 13:3-5 which states:

“For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.”

Christians have been commanded to submit to the governing authorities wherever they live, insomuch as the authorities do not operate outside of the God-given role. Those authorities cannot command Christians to sin nor can they dictate to the church how it must function, a role that belongs to God alone. He has given those authorities the responsibility to protect His people and to punish those who do wickedly.

Therefore, when it comes to the matter of criminal behavior, Christians are not free to act on their own accord to apply justice. God established the governing authorities and commanded them to hold accountable those who commit evil for they are His servant who carries out His wrath. Knowing that we must give an accused the right to be fairly tried and that the authorities are given the power to wield the sword, Christians cannot decide to arbitrarily execute justice by their own hand. We are constrained by His very Word to submit to the lawful process of trial and punishment. We dare not take upon ourselves an authority He has not given us.

While there are some caveats on this matter, suffice it to say what has been said thus far does not apply to acts of self-defense or the immediate defense of others. Scripture does not teach, nor does it require, that Christians cannot or should not use force in the defense of self or others. While we cannot act in retaliation after the fact, any Christian facing an immediate threat to one’s self or loved ones is well within Scripture to use force to defend, even if that force may take the life of one’s assailant. This is not the same as an act of vengeance or vigilantism, thus it cannot be considered an exception to what has been said here.

One last matter must be addressed which is that injustice or corruption in this world may allow persons guilty of great evil to go free. We live in a fallen world and our systems of justice are far from perfect. Regardless of how diligently we try to adhere to biblical principles, there is always the likelihood that those who hurt us may never face justice in this life. This is where we must trust in the sovereign will of God and know that no one will ever escape His ultimate justice. Those who have committed evil will face God’s righteous wrath for eternity.

We cannot, therefore, take earthly justice into our own hands as though God has failed us in this life. We cannot seek vengeance for that is His realm alone. We must trust in the Lord alone and find our peace in knowing He will mete out righteous punishment to the evil in His timing alone. Let us hold the Paul’s admonishment to the Romans:

“Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’” (Romans 12:17–19)

Trust all these matters to God and His Word, alone.

Note: This article has also been published at X.comX.com.