Is this man an honest, true Christian?

Question

http://www.nypost.com/seven/06092007/news/regionalnews/jesus_cracks_cold_case_regionalnews_laura_italiano.htm

A man walked into a police station and confessed to murdering a homeless woman. The police say he would have gotten away with the crime, but the man said he was recently saved and that Jesus Christ wanted him to confess.
The news media personalities on Fox news claimed this man could NOT be a Christian because a Christian wouldn't murder people. They mocked and ridiculed him, saying he was "foolish" for confessing.

Is he a Christian? if so, what makes him one? If not, why not?

Eds- I believe this man is a true and honest Christian who is demonstrating the fruits of the spirit in his life. I just wanted everyone else's opinion on the matter.

The link worked for me, here it is again:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/06092007/news/regionalnews/jesus_cracks_cold_case_regionalnews_laura_italiano.htm

Yes, for those of you who can't access the story, he killed the women, THEN got saved, then confessed his crime. He committed murder BEFORE he became a Christian.

Answer 1

"Room Full of Walters," on their album "Sleepy-Head," have a song, "Jeffrey Dahmer Went to Heaven."

If the murderer in the news story you reference has truly come to Christ, which his recent actions and confession would seem to indicate, then he is saved through the blood of Jesus.

The thief on the cross went to heaven even though he was not able to do anything to redeem himself other than believing in Jesus.

Jesus told some of the supposedly good religious people, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you." (see Matthew 21:28-32).

I think on Judgment Day some people will be surprised that even though they lived a pretty normal human life and tried to basically be good, they will be excluded from heaven if they didn't believe in Jesus, while others who lived terrible, harmful lives, yet repented and believed in salvation through the blood of Jesus, will go on to eternal joy with God in heaven.

To some people this doesn't seem fair. Jesus spoke about this in the parable of the workers in the vineyard (see Matt. 20:1-16). The people who started work early in the day got paid the same wages as the people who started work late. When they complained, the vineyard owner said in essence, "This is my field and my money, it's mine to do with as I please, and I'm not defrauding you by blessing others."

Everyone receives the same salvation--or not--but there will be different rewards based on how well you lived here on earth (see Matt. 25:31-46). I believe the mercy of God is so great that He provides at least one thing to reward every person for, even "deathbed confessions" such as the thief on the cross, because God can use even our failures and inadequacies to further His purposes; for example, as a witness and teaching tool to others. God is a God of redemption and restoration. No situation is beyond His power to change and use.

In the gospel accounts, Jesus got mad at any person who tried to keep some one else from Him because they weren't deemed "good enough" for some reason, whether they were an "unimportant" child or the "wrong sort of person," who didn't measure up to some external religious standards.

God's love for every person is underestimated.

Answer 2

I believe if he received Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior then he's a true Christian.
You didn't say whether or not the man committed the crime before or after the conversion. But, just as an example, King David loved the Lord and ended up sleeping with another man's wife and then killing the man. He repented after feeling the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
Sounds like this man was feeling the conviction of the Holy Spirit to confess.

Answer 3

that's retarded. In Christianity, the Christians are taught that everyone is a sinner and you have to ask God for forgiveness. of course, Christians have the 10 commandments and everything, but basically it's like Christ will set you free and erase your sins if you believe in him. I think that he probably didn't know about the aspect of Christianity where Christians try to be good like Jesus because he was "recently saved".

I don't get what the news was trying to say, though. Are they criticizing him for being a fake Christian or for confessing? Oh, he's foolish? oh yes, what a fool. How would they even think of mocking him? a dangerous man off the streets... how could they find the space between their sighs of relief to call him a fool?

Answer 4

The article said he committed the murder three years ago and "recently" found Christ. That would explain everything. The fox news people are too opinionated for their own good. They should just stick to reporting the news and allow us to draw our own conclusions

The man is a Christian if he now knows he has to pay the penalty for what he did and confess. His body may be locked up but His soul will be free.

Answer 5

If he is a Christian, then he trusts God through Jesus Christ. He would trust God in what God said that he would do. That's really what a Christian is. The Bible is full of promises, not only salvation, that God has made and for those who are led by him to trust him with.

I am not impressed with the Fox commentators if what you said about them is true. Yes, Christians can be murderers, and we have no idea how long this guy was a Christian. He could be a new convert for all I know.

Answer 6

Only God can know the truth in someone’s heart but the idea that someone can’t be a Christian because they’ve killed is certainly lacking Scriptural support. Logically you have more of an argument against people judging (saying he can’t be a Christian) based on Scripture but that all seems kind of ridicules…right? The very last thing Christians need to be doing today is debating over whose really a Christian. Lets lift each other up in prayer and if we are truly worried about someone lets bring our concerns to God and leave the media out of it.

Answer 7

Only he can answer that question; no one can pronounce upon the state of his religious life except he himself. However I disagree with the Fox people because even a Christian can murder someone for after all we are all human beings, both good and bad ones irrespective of which religion we belong to. No religion promotes murder so technically no one should be a murderer.
It was good of him to come and confess to the police and certainly not "foolish". Who knows, it might just have been religion that persuaded him to confess his crime and realize the gravity of it.

Answer 8

I agree that he is probably a Christian. A few others who have already answered have given good rationales for why he is a Christian. It's sad that Fox News would ridicule him; because Fox News is pretty much the only National TV news I would trust.

Answer 9

Yes I heard this too. God forgives and I believe he ask Jesus in his heart and the Holy Spirit convicted him of what he did wrong. God forgave him even if man didn't, or even if man won't. I think it is good that he did what he did as far as confessing. The murder was wrong yes and i am glad he is sorry cause some are not.

Answer 10

It's really not up to any of us to judge whether or not he is a "true" Christian.

From the information given, though, I would say he exhibits a lot of fruits of the Spirirt, including peace, love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, self-control. There is nothing in the story to indicate that he is anything but a faithful Christian. I hope God blesses him greatly for his obedience to the Word, esp. in a case like this where there is no clear benefit to him, and in fact the opposite.

I bet God will use him richly behind bars; people in prison are literally dying to hear the good news.