Yes—crime is increasing because society has rejected God-ordained punishment, especially capital punishment, while human nature remains inherently sinful.
Les Feldick teaches that murder and crime are on the rise in spite of our standard of living because punishment is no longer severe enough to deter wrongdoing. He points to Genesis 9, where God commanded that whoever sheds man's blood must have his own blood shed, and to modern society's rejection of that command. Since the carnal mind cannot be made subject to God's law, legislation and sociological approaches cannot change the human heart.
Genesis 9:5-6 — This is the foundational text in which God ordains capital punishment for murder, directly addressing why punishment matters to crime.
Genesis 6:5 — It describes the pre-flood wickedness that parallels today's rising crime and shows that man's heart is evil continually.
The Bible grounds the answer in the institution of human government after the flood. Genesis 9:5-6 says, "And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man." God requires the life of anyone who takes a human life because man was made in His image. This is not presented as an optional social policy; it is God's stated ordinance for the human race. Scripture also diagnoses the root of rising crime. Genesis 6:5 describes the pre-flood world: "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Romans 1:31-32 depicts a society without natural affection, implacable and unmerciful, knowing God's judgment of death, yet still committing evil and approving of others who do. Romans 8:7 says the carnal mind "is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be," and Romans 5:20 shows that the law only reveals sin rather than fixing it.
Les Feldick teaches that the rising crime rate is evidence that God-ordained punishment has been abandoned. He points out that murder, crime, immorality, drug use, and drunkenness are all on the increase "in spite of our tremendous level of standard of living." The reason, he says, is that human life has been made cheap; God created man in His image and placed intrinsic value on his life, then ordained that whoever sheds man's blood must have his blood shed. Les explains that before the flood there was no human government or system of justice, and that this led to unchecked murder. After the flood, God gave government the responsibility to deal with murderers. Les specifically addresses the modern objection to capital punishment. Many influential people are "aghast at capital punishment," but Les says the Bible takes into account the fear of executing an innocent person; those who are without a shadow of a doubt guilty of murder "have to be dealt with." He also connects the failure of modern punishment to the fact that the carnal mind is not subject to God's law. You cannot legislate morality—just as the drug war cannot stop drugs until people stop wanting them. The law, he says, has no saving power and can only show us sin. All of this points to a society that has rejected God's boundaries, and Les warns that if the Lord did not return, it would get worse than the days of Noah.
In Genesis 9:5-6 God declares that whoever sheds man's blood must have his blood shed because man was made in God's image. Les notes that this places human life above all other creation—it is of intrinsic value to God. Before the flood, there was no civil government to enforce this, and murder ran unchecked. So capital punishment is God's ordained answer to uncontrolled violence.
Les acknowledges that many influential people are horrified by capital punishment, partly because of the possibility of executing the innocent. He says, however, that the Bible takes this into consideration. For those "without a shadow of a doubt" guilty of murder, they must be dealt with. Rejecting God's punishment has been accompanied by a rise in every category of depravity—murder, crime, immorality, drug use, and drunkenness.
Les says mankind is not subject to the law of God, so it is impossible to legislate decent morality. The drug war shows this: drugs cannot be stopped until people stop wanting to use them, and that is not going to happen. The law has no saving or justifying power; it only shows sin. Meanwhile, drug users steal and murder to support their habits, and the whole environment will keep mushrooming until the Lord returns.
God's Capital Punishment Decree
Les shows that Genesis 9:5-6 ordains death for murderers because human life bears God's image and is intrinsically valuable.
Crime Increase in Noah's Day and Now
Les parallels today's rising murder and crime with pre-flood wickedness, showing that even high living standards have not curbed evil.
Societal Loss of Natural Affection
Les explains Romans 1 describes a society without natural affection and mercy that knows God's judgment yet sins and applauds the sin.
Law Cannot Change the Carnal Mind
Les teaches that because the carnal mind is not subject to God's law, we cannot legislate morality or stop crime until people stop wanting to sin.
Pre-Flood Lack of Government
Les notes that before the flood there was no human government or justice system, and murder was rampant—showing why government punishment was later ordained.
Modern Objection to Capital Punishment
Les addresses influential people who reject capital punishment as barbaric, insisting the Bible accounts for the innocent-execution fear and requires dealing with unquestionably guilty murderers.
Law Only Reveals Sin
Les teaches the law has no saving or justifying power and can only show sin, which is why human moral efforts fail to reverse rising crime.
Drugs, Theft, and Murder
Les connects drug addiction to crime, theft, and murder, describing a worsening spiral that will only end when the Lord returns.
Genesis 9:5: And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.
God requires the life of the man who takes another's life, showing that human blood is sacred.
Genesis 9:6: Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
This verse ordains capital punishment for murder because man was made in God's image.
Genesis 6:5: And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
It pictures the moral atmosphere of the pre-flood world as evil continually.
Romans 1:31: Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Paul describes a society whose natural affections and mercy are gone, leading to abuse and crime.
Romans 1:32: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
People know such sins deserve death yet still commit them and applaud others who do.
Romans 8:7: Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
The carnal mind cannot be subject to God's law, showing why legislation alone can't stop crime.
Romans 5:20: Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
The law only causes sin to abound, and grace is the only answer.
Les says crime is increasing because God-ordained punishment has been abandoned and human nature is inherently sinful. Modern punishment is not severe enough to deter, and society has made human life cheap instead of recognizing its intrinsic value to God.
Les says the Bible requires that those without a shadow of a doubt guilty of murder be dealt with, pointing to Genesis 9:5-6. He acknowledges the fear of executing an innocent person, but he maintains that God's command stands.
Les teaches that the carnal mind is not subject to God's law, so legislation cannot change the heart. The law can only show sin; it has no saving or justifying power.
Les explains that before the flood there was no human government or system of justice to maintain law and order, and murder was rampant. After the flood, God gave government the authority to punish murderers.
Watch the Teaching: Why God Established Capital Punishment | Genesis 9 Explained