Can murderers be forgiven and therefore go to heaven??

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rita Cullimore on September 21, 2010 at 4:35am

Hi Wicus.
I would say that the sin that leads to death is the unrepented sin.
Moses was a murderer and he probably is in heaven, considering he appeared with Jesus at the Mount of Transfiguration. David was a murderer out of coveting another's wife. Paul, as Saul, was a murderer. He pursued believers. We all are murderers when we gossip about others, speaking evil of them. Sin is sin. Unrepented sin remains against us. Christ died for us(for our sins) if we accept that gift of sacrifice through confessing him as our Savior. However, there are many that haven't confessed Him. Therefore, their sin remains on them. and it will lead to death.

I'm sure that there are others with a different idea of what "the sin leading to death is."
Blessings,
Rita

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on September 22, 2010 at 1:52am

1 John 5: 16 If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

If a man see his brother sin a sin ... - From the general assurance that God hears prayer, the apostle turns to a particular case in which it may be benevolently and effectually employed, in rescuing a brother from death. There has been great diversity of opinion in regard to the meaning of this passage, and the views of expositors of the New Testament are by no means settled as to its true sense. It does not comport with the design of these notes to examine the opinions which have been held in detail. A bare reference, however, to some of them will show the difficulty of determining with certainty what the passage means, and the impropriety of any very great confidence in one's own judgment in the case. Among these opinions are the following. Some have supposed that the sin against the Holy Spirit is intended; some that the phrase denotes any great and enormous sin, as murder, idolatry, adultery; some that it denotes some sin that was punishable by death by the laws of Moses; some that it denotes a sin that subjected the offender to excommunication from the synagogue or the church; some that it refers to sins which brought fatal disease upon the offender, as in the case of those who abused the Lord's Supper at Corinth, (see the notes at 1 Corinthians 11:30); some that it refers to crimes committed against the laws, for which the offender was sentenced to death, meaning that when the charge alleged was false, and the condemnation unjust, they ought to pray for the one who was condemned to death, and that he would be spared; but that when the offence was one which had been really committed, and the offender deserved to die, they ought not to pray for him, or, in other words, that by "the sin unto death," offences against the civil law are referred to, which the magistrate had no power to pardon, and the punishment of which he could not commute; and by the "sin not unto death," offences are referred to which might be pardoned, and when the punishment might be commuted

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Rita Cullimore on September 22, 2010 at 4:40am

Wicus,
These notes from the ESV concerning the verse you referenced are ...

5:16 Sin not leading to death is sin for which forgiveness is possible because (1) forgiveness is sought and (2) God is willing to grant it. Death and eternal life are present spiritual states as well as ultimate actual destinies (hell, heaven). Sin that leads to death is probably sin that is (1) unrepented of and (2) of the kind or nature that John has warned about throughout the letter: resolute rejection of the true doctrine about Christ, chronic disobedience to God’s commandments, persistent lack of love for fellow believers—all indications of a lack of saving faith—which will not be forgiven. I do not say. John leaves open whether to pray for that situation if it arises. It would be better in such cases to pray for repentance.
5:17 All wrongdoing is a matter of grave concern given God’s utter perfection and zealous love. However, not all sin leads to death, so Christians should be proactive in praying for their own and others’ forgiveness.
Crossway Bibles: The ESV Study Bible. Wheaton, IL : Crossway Bibles, 2008, S. 2437

It says nearly but much clearer what I was trying to convey.

Blessings,
Rita

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Leonard T on September 22, 2010 at 8:12am

Wicus,

Regarding can a murderer be saved:

On this topic I like simplicity. The Word tells us the following:

(NIV)
RO 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
RO 10:10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
RO 10:11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
RO 10:12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,
RO 10:13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Romans 10:13 simply tells us that "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Who is excluded by the word "everyone?" One could debate what it means to call on the name of the Lord, but that is not the question. The question is "who is excluded in the word everyone" if they call upon the name fo the Lord? Everyone cannot mean only some or most, but must mean all in this statement.

Food for thought.

Lord Bless,
LT
TheNET Coordinator

• ▶ Reply