Can a murderer be saved? From a Bible-believing perspective, the obvious answer would be, “Yes, of course.” But the Apostle John states “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:15). Adam Clarke explains,
This text has been quoted to prove that no murderer can be saved. This is not said in the text; and there have been many instances of persons who have been guilty of murder having had deep and genuine repentance, and who doubtless found mercy from his hands who prayed for his murderers, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do!”
A wonderful example of the grace of God extending even to a murderer is Paul. Warren Wiersbe argues, “We are not told that murderers cannot be saved. The Apostle Paul himself took a hand in the stoning of Stephen and admitted that his vote helped to put innocent people to death. But in His grace God saved Paul.”
In Rev. 22:14-15 mentions murderers as not being in heaven. However, others are included in the list of those excluded, such as sorcerers, idolaters … and liars! Rev. 21:7-8 states that murderers will have their part in the lake of fire. But again, it also list all liars … and the fearful (timid, cowardly). J. Vernon McGee adds, “I am sure you realize that this passage does not teach that an actual murderer cannot be saved. Christ paid the penalty for all sins – even taking the life of another.”
There should be little debate on whether someone who commits murder can be saved. However, can a true Christian actually commit murder? And if so, are they still a Christian? David Sorenson comments,
The thought is not that God’s people cannot commit murder for David and Moses surely did so. Nor does it imply that a Christian will lose his salvation for such a dastardly crime. However, the thought likely in light of the greater scope of New Testament theology is that one living in the flesh, whence hatred and murder lurk, is not abiding in the eternal life given by God. The thought hearkens back to his illustration of Cain in verse 12. The greater truth is that a born-again Christian will have that seed of love for others that can preempt the development of hatred, the root cause of murder.
Zane Hodges writes in the Bible Knowledge Commentary that “it is an illusion to believe that a real Christian is incapable of hatred and murder” (p. 896). He cites the examples of David when he killed Uriah the Hittite and of Peter who warned his Christian readers not to let any of them suffer as a murderer (1 Pet. 4:15). Wiersbe concurs,
The issue here is not whether a murderer can become a Christian, but whether a man can continue being a murderer and still be a Christian. The answer is no. “And ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:15). The murderer did not once have eternal life and then lose it; he never had eternal life at all.
On Wiersbe’s last point “he never had eternal life at all,” it would be well to consider 1 John 2:3-4 “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” William Barclay explains,
There is no way of telling what a tree is other than by its fruits, and there is no way of telling what a man is other than by his conduct. John lays it down that any one who does not do righteousness is thereby demonstrated to be not of God.
Warren Wiersbe further clarifies,
These verses (1 John 3:14-15), like those that deal with habitual sin in a believer (1 John 1:5-2:6), concern a settled habit of life: a believer is in the practice of loving the brethren, even though on occasion he may be angry with a brother (Matt. 5:22-24). Occasional incidents of anger do not nullify the principle. If anything, they prove it true, because a believer out of fellowship with his fellow Christians is a miserable person! His feelings make clear to him that something is wrong.
We realize we are saved by grace, not of works. But though works do not save us, they are an evidence of our salvation (James 2:14-17). To prove salvation is not of works, we often quote Eph. 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” But interestingly, the very next verse states, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). John Phillips explains,
One way a person could know that he or she had been born again and was in the family of God was by that person’s newfound love for other believers. The fellowship of the church is an extraordinary affair, bringing together rich and poor, master and servant, men and women, old and young, gifted and retarded, strong and weak, Jews and Gentiles. All one in Christ, they blend hearts and voices in the worship of Him who loves each and every one with an everlasting love. But what about those who, somehow or other, get their names on the church roll but who have no love for the brethren? John is unerring in putting finger on their problem. “He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.”
John MacArthur says,
In his customary absolute, black-and-white style, John reminds readers that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. That does not mean that a believer could never commit an act of murder, or that someone who has committed murder can never be saved. But it does mean that those who are characterized by hateful attitudes and who regularly harbor murderous thoughts evidence an unregenerate heart and will perish eternally unless they repent.
One other consideration of 1 John 3:15 that should be of great consideration to believers is that very few actually ever commit a murder, the Bible clearly equates hating a brother with being guilty of murder (Matt. 5:21-26). Wiersbe describes this, when he says,
This does not mean, of course, that hatred in the heart does the same amount of damage, or involves the same degree of guilt, as actual murder. Your neighbor would rather you hate him than kill him! But in God’s sight, hatred is the moral equivalent of murder, and if left unbridled it leads to murder. A Christian has passed from death to life, and the proof of this is that he loves the brethren. When he belonged to the world system, he hated God’s people; but now that he belongs to God, he loves them.
This sheds considerable light on the fact that “all have sinned” (Rom. 3:23). Albert Barnes states,
And who is there that should not feel humbled and penitent in view of his own heart, and grateful for that sovereign mercy which has restrained him from open acts of guilt?—for who is there who has not at some period of his life, and perhaps often, indulged in feelings of hatred, and envy, and malice towards others, which, if acted out, would have led to the commission of the awful crime of taking human life? Any man may well shudder at tile remembrance of the secret sins of his own heart, and at the thought of what he would have been but for the restraining grace of God. And how wonderful is that grace which, in the case of the true Christian, not only restrains and checks, but which effectually subdues all these feelings, and implants in their place the principles of love!
Even in recognition of our sinfulness, we are not to despair, but rather glory in the mercy of God (Luke 6:36; Heb. 2:17). Don Fleming, “With such high standards before them, some Christians may feel guilty that they have failed to practice this love. They may even doubt their salvation. John assures them that they have no need for uncertainty.”
William Barclay reminds us that,
Fine words will never take the place of fine deeds; and no amount of talk of Christian love will take the place of a kindly action to a man in need, involving some self-sacrifice, for in that action the principle of the Cross is operative again.
H. A. Ironside well illustrates the focus we should exhibit,
The story is told of Nelson, when, as his ships were drawn up in battle-array facing the Dutch fleet, he saw two English officers quarreling. He threw himself in between and pushed them apart, as he said, pointing to the ships of Holland, “Gentlemen, there are your enemies!” Would God that Christians would indeed love one another, then it would not trouble us if the world hated us.
REFERENCES
Barclay, William, Barclay’s Daily Study Bible (NT), WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
Barnes, Albert, Notes on the New Testament Explanatory and Practical, ed. Robert Frew WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
Clarke, Adam, Adam Clarke’s Commentary, (New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, 1826), WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
Fleming, Don, Concise Bible Commentary, (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1994), WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
Ironside, H. A., H. A. Ironside Commentary – 1, 2, and 3 John, (San Diego, CA: Horizon Press, 1931), WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
MacArthur, John, MacArthur New Testament Commentary – 1-3 John, (Chicago: Moody Press, 2007), WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
McGee, J. Vernon, Thru The Bible with J. Vernon McGee, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1983), WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
Phillips, John, The John Phillips Commentary Series – Exploring the Epistles of John: An Expository Commentary, (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2003), WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
Sorenson, David, Understanding the Bible: An Independent Baptist Commentary, (Duluth, MN: Northstar Ministries, 2007)
Walvoord, John and Roy Zuck, ed., The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty, (Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications, 1985), WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
Wiersbe, Warren, The Bible Exposition Commentary – New Testament, Volume 2, (Colorado Springs, CO: Victor, 2001), WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
