Can a murderer be saved ?

Can a murderer be saved ?
Someone asked this question with the intention to show others that all their sins are forgiven, including their past, present, and future sins. I will tell them, Of course, a murderer can be saved. But he must truly repent and accept Jesus.

However, please think, If the murderer will still murder again, can we still tell him, "God has forgiven you, you don't have to repent again because God has already forgiven all your past, present, and future sins" ? No, if he murdered again after he had repented, it means that either:

• he has made a mistake. He might have thought that he had repented but he had not really repented the first time. He will still have to repent.
• or we have made a mistake. We might have thought that he had repented and can never sin again. Hence, we will still have to ask him to repent.

However, God can never made any mistake. He would never tell the murderer that He has forgiven all his sins including his past, present, and future sins.


Have we preached the truth of repentance to all the sinners or murderers ?
Hence, my advice to the preachers: Whether you are giving the promise of grace to the sinners, thieves, or murderers, please don't promise that God would just forgive all their past, present, and future sins without preaching any repentance. Please don't make God look like a fool by giving any murderer or thief any promise of no more repentance, no more obedience, no more law, no more doctrine, or no more teaching for them unless they are on their way to their gallows or they are stuck on the cross and cannot come down to murder or sin anymore. Otherwise, who are we to guarantee that they will never sin again ? Therefore, they should be told the truth of repentance and they should find out if they would repent sincerely. Of course, we do not give everyone the guarantee of salvation without any preaching of repentance:

• Mat 3:6-11 KJV  And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.  (7)  But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  (8)  Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:  (9)  And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.  (10)  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  (11)  I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

I will ask them, If we preach a God who would not forgive the Pharisees, the murderers, the thieves, or anyone, who would never repent, does it mean that we are not preaching grace; but only condemnation ? Does it mean that John the Baptist and Jesus Christ had never preached grace ? No. On the contrary, we preach more grace than any other preachers who would only preach grace. Why ? It is because we know that it is already the grace of God if any sinner would repent and come back to God. We should know that God has the option and the righteousness to judge and condemn any sinner or murderer even if they would repent. However, when He would forgive because they repented, it should be an amazing grace to all of us. Something would be definitely wrong if the sinners or murderers would all think that it is the duty or the nature of God to forgive them because they desire Him to do so; but they have no true repentance:

• Mat 18:32-33 KJV  Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:  (33)  Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

Grace could be there even if we do not think of it
Hence, I would think that Jesus has preached more grace than we thought. He might never mention the word 'grace' but He has certainly shown us that we can see God's grace in repentance, even if we do not think of grace. Do you know that preachers, believers, sinners, thieves, or murderers, who preach grace, confess grace, and think that grace or favour should be their guarantee or their rights, could be thinking like the elder son in the parable of the prodigal son too ? They may think that it is grace because they have confessed more grace than others. But we know that they do not know grace. Probably the prodigal son had known grace better than them - because the prodigal son knew repentance:

• Luk 15:20-32 KJV  And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.  (21)  And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.  (22)  But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: .. (25)  Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.  .. (29)  And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: ..  (31)  And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.  (32)  It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

I will ask them, Did you see grace from the parable above ? I see 'big' grace. Who was the one that received grace ? Was he the one who thought that he deserved it because he obeyed many commandments or anyone who think that he deserved it because he confesses grace or knows grace better ? No, none of them, except the prodigal son who repented. Jesus has shown us clearly that those who receive grace are those who repented, thought that they were unworthy, and had no thought of grace or demand for grace.  


Grace is not cheap; please make sure that we don't throw the 'pearl' to the 'dog' 
Of course, by now, if you know the purpose of my question here 'Can a murderer be saved?', you would know that the real question is not the question itself; the real question is real purpose behind which we should ask ourselves, 'Can a false prophet be saved ?' Why do we need to ask such a question ? I would think that the latter question 'Can a false prophet be saved?' would concern most of us than the first question 'Can a murderer be saved?'. I don't think I would need to explain it. Just think deeper and you will get what I mean. Now, I will tell the radical grace preachers, Do you think you will still want to give 'no condemnation' or 'radical grace' assurance to the false preachers so that:

• they can feel better when they can keep deceiving the people, or
• they can hide themselves better when they can just keep confessing grace ?

I hope your answer is 'no'. That's why I would find it rather suspicious when you argued so well to convince everyone that all the following warnings are not for us, not for the churches, or not for anyone in our churches:

• Heb 6:4-6 KJV  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,  (5)  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,  (6)  If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
• Heb 10:26-30 KJV  For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,  (27)  But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.  (28)  He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:  (29)  Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?  (30)  For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
• 2Pe 2:19-22 KJV  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.  (20)  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.  (21)  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.  (22)  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

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