If a killer believes in Jesus, will he enter paradise?
He will, indeed. The Bible provides two unequivocal examples that are extremely obvious. Two of the robbers were crucified with Jesus. Since robbery did not always result in execution, it is quite likely that these men were killers. They had only self-interest in mind, mocking Jesus even as they were being executed (Matthew 27:44).
Murderer on the cross
However, one of them gained confidence in Jesus after witnessing Him. “”Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom,” he uttered. “Truly, I say to you, you will be with me in Paradise today,” he declared to him. (Luke 23:42–43). Thus, Jesus tells a murderer that He will be with Him in heaven. Furthermore, because he is going to die, the murderer will never have the chance to do good.
The apostle Paul
Paul, the apostle, is the second illustration. According to the Bible, he was “breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord” before to his conversion (Acts 9:1). He was a major player in the persecution of the early Christians, sometimes leading to their execution. He refers to himself as the greatest of sinners as a result (1 Timothy 1:15). But the Lord pardoned his transgressions and appointed him an apostle.
Is it fair?
The idea that a murderer can still enter paradise seems unfair. It is accurate. It’s not just. But it provides us all with a great deal of comfort. Because no one would enter paradise if God were just. We can only earn [everlasting torment] by our own efforts. The fact that God pardons sinners is therefore good news. He will save me too, if He saves murderers who turn from their sins and believe!
We need to repent from our sins
To that, let me offer a caution. Even murder is a sin that the Lord is willing to pardon. However, the Bible makes it quite evident that in order to be forgiven by God, we must repent from our sins. The Bible demonstrates that Paul never invents justifications for his prior transgressions. He confesses his guilt, expresses regret for it, turns away from it, and puts himself at God’s mercy.
When sinners approach God, this is always the situation. Forgiveness is not the same as repentance. In the instance of a murderer, it would imply that he has admitted his wrongdoing, that he is prepared to serve his time in prison without attempting to evade punishment, that he will stop at nothing to appease the families of his victims, and that you will witness God’s love in action going forward. If this isn’t the case, you can be positive that he hasn’t yet accepted God’s forgiveness and isn’t a true Christian.
The fact that there are members of God’s church who were once extremely wicked sinners helps us to appreciate how enormous God’s mercy is. We should rejoice since we ourselves are in tremendous need of God’s enormous mercy!
