Response:

The Bible clearly teaches that all sins are forgiven when a man receives Christ, and that all sins that a believer commits can be forgiven. John 1:7 states that the blood of Jesus Christ "cleanseth us from all sin." Isaiah 55:7 states that God will "abundantly pardon". Isaiah 43:25 states that God will not remember our sins. Psalm 103:3 states that God "forgiveth all thine iniquities". Acts 3:19 states, "Repent, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out".

I Corinthians 6:9-10 gives a list of sins that keep someone from inheriting the Kingdom of God. Ten different sins are listed, including covetousness and drunkenness. But verse 11 states: "And such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God". Even though they had sinned, God is able to forgive.

James 2:10 reminds us that we are all law breakers, for the same God that said that murder was sin also said that adultery was sin. Regardless of which one you commit, you are still a lawbreaker. If God can forgive one sin, He can forgive them all.

I John 3:15 states that "no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him". However, the beginning of that verse says that those who hate their brethren are murderers. Should we assume that those who do not have proper love for their fellow Christians are condemned to Hell? I don't think so. I think the teaching is that a man who is willfully killing people is NOT ALREADY a Christian. It is not teaching that he CAN NOT be saved; it is teaching that he IS NOT saved.

Paul is a good example. He held the coats for those who stoned Stephen, and was consenting unto his death even though he may not have thrown rocks himself. In Acts 22:4, Paul states that he persecuted Christians "unto the death". This means that people died as a direct result of Saul's actions. I think this makes him a murderer. Yet Christ saved him. In II Samuel 11:15, David told Joab to abandon Uriah on the battlefield "that he may be smitten and die". Yet in Psalm 51:9 David cries out for God to "blot out all mine iniquities". In verse 14 he asks for deliverance from "bloodguiltiness". That sounds like a confession for murder. And remember, David is ultimately known as the man after God's own heart.

The bottom line is: the question is not what I have done, but what God can do. We are all sinners, and we all come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). However, "God commendeth His love towards us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8). God's grace can overcome any sin, for "where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (Romans 5:20).

Hope this helps. May the Lord bless you.

By Dr Mark Montgomery Ambassador Baptist Church 1926 Babcock Blvd Pittsburgh, PA 15209 (412)477-3210