Serious Legal/Spiritual Question and Advice

All,

I have a very serious question and have offered my own thoughts on this but would greatly value some further input. I recently heard a story (I do not know this individual personally) about an individual who has been saved for a short time that made a serious confession.

Many years ago before this person was saved this individual confessed to their Pastor that he murdered six people and wants to turn himself in. When I say years ago, I believe it was about 20 plus years and this person had since gotten married and has a family.

He is convicted in his spirit and plans on turning himself in after the new year. He realizes he will probably go to prison for life and possibly worse.

I know Tim and Todd have legal backgrounds and just curious to what they might think.

This individual has discussed this with his family and they all seem to be on board.

I am praying this individual does not grow faint in heart and that the Lord will give him the strength and courage to do the good he knows and has been convicted to do.

This man is doing the right thing and would be miserable if he did not.
God will be glorified if a man obeys God even in such a horrible set of circumstances. I agree with you in your prayer, Dfella.
L

David- Tim would have much more insight as I think he does some criminal defense work.

Do you know the circumstances of these killings?

I have read of other cases where someone turns themselves in years after the crime and it could result in favorable treatment but with 6 killings I can't see that happening- but by confessing he would avoid the death penalty- I think.

The Two scenario's from the Scripture that I can think of is Moses and David, I do not recall either one of them bringing themselves under the wrath of the Legal/Justice system.

All that I am doing is providing the Scriptures that come to mind.

Can anyone think of any Scriptures that gives an example of someone whom got things right with the Lord and than afterwards went about making reconciliation by turning themselves over to secular legal/Justice system ?

Moses murdered a man, he fled the legal/Justice system untill the Lord pointed out to him that those whom would have prosecuted him where now dead and therefore it now was safe for him to return.

David did get things right with the Lord but this did not include him making reconciliation by bringing his deed before the legal/Justice system and embracing the punishment that that system of the time required.

If he is being convicted by the Holy Spirit to do so he has no other recourse but to obey - unless he wants to lose his salvation and be miserable.

There is this thing of reconciliation that should happen between the offender and the victim whether the offence is punishable by law or not. Remember Zaccheaeus...remember what Jesus said after he declared his intention to reimburse people he had defrauded? "Salvation is come to your house." No sweeter words could have been said.

Sandra

Obviously, I am not a Calvinist...

Sandra

RE: /// Obviously, I am not a Calvinist...///

I am not so sure that I would be quick to accuse Tuc of being one either.

https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic_id=58390&forum=34&start=40&viewmode=flat&order=1

Tuc wrote: "I am not sure how the Holy Spirit can convict him of a sin that God does not remember."

I can't tell if you are serious or not.

Thank you Leslie I agree with your sentiments as I have been praying about this situation for about a month now. The two counseling with this man are pretty much just being there for moral spiritual support and letting him do all the talking and confessing.

Thanks Todd, I have no clue as to what the law will do in this case. My thoughts are it is better to obey God and the leading of the Holy Spirit than to worry what man might do. I also thought of these families who also deserve closure regarding their loved ones death.

The positives to this is that this man would be bearing fruit meet of his repentance by turning himself in and would have a platform to share why he is turning himself in. The only circumstances I know is that this man was in a motor cycle gang years ago and the people I believe he murdered may possibly have been other gang members or factions.

Proudpapa, I agree that he is forgiven but I believe the system we live under here in this country and time we have to obey the laws of the land. Our laws tell us that murder is wrong and punishable by law, just because we might be forgiven by God does not allow us to escape the consequences. If I were a Christian and a Judge, I believe God would want me to carry out the duties of the law I was sworn to uphold. So if this man appeared before me and confessed and told me he was confessing because he was now a Christian, I would consider him a brother in Christ but I would also have to hold him accountable.

I believe this man is showing forth fruit of his repentance, turning himself in is actually being a doer of the word and not a hearer only. We have a young lady who is 28 years old missing here in Michigan. She has been missing for 3 weeks, I can’t imagine what this family is going through. But the most important thing always that people say when they have a loved one turn up dead is that they want closure and justice, a reconciliation of sorts as Sandra said.

I have heard people plead with killers on tv asking them to do the right thing and turn themselves in.

I remember a testimony from years ago I saw on the 700 Club. A young man was murdered during a drug deal gone bad. The mother of the man that was murdered was led to visit the man who killed her son, she preached the gospel to him and told him she forgave him. This man was born again as a result of her love, compassion, and forgiveness and she ended up adopting him as her own son.

Remember Ted Bundy? All those women he murdered? God only knows if this man was truly repentant but James Dobson went and visited with this man and preached the gospel to him. If he did get saved, praise the Lord! But just because he was saved does not mean he is above the law and consequences of that law which was death in his case.

Amen Mark, thanks for the prayers, may Gods will be done and may he receive all the glory! Thanks for all the thoughts, prayers, and input.

Todd, Tuc is serious. I don't take him seriously but he is serious.

The brother--and I do not blink at calling him one -- is doing what is right.

As Ulysses Everett McGill said in "O Brother Where Art Thou?", "That's not the issue Delmar. Even if that did put you square with the Lord, the State of Mississippi's a little more hard-nosed."

I do not contend that every violation of civil law requires from God that one answer for it. Human law simply does not carry true justice within it. But, this confession is one that transcends human conventions about wrongdoing. He has made himself accountable to God and is washed in the blood of the lamb. But, clearly the Holy Spirit has brought Himself to bear on the brother's born-again conscience and says "Confess. Account."
I believe He does so in such instances as this. Lives were not just lost but others shattered.

I pray for God to have mercy on him

This is a very complex situation. There are christian authors who before their conversion killed people in various circumstances, but did not seem went into prison. Murder and homicide is a crime defined and prosecuted according to the existing legal statutes which may differ between nations.

We do not know the exact circumstances of the case a
at hand, it maybe disastrous to suggest a sort of reckless confession at the moment, admission of killing even in a clear case of self defense is a legal disadvantage. I am not a lawyer, but been in court for years as a technical witness.

At the moment, I will consider even the unpopular opinion of 'proudpapa'.

RE : /// The only circumstances I know is that this man was in a motor cycle gang years ago and the people I believe he murdered may possibly have been other gang members or factions.///

I figured the scenerio was gang related.
I am reminded of the answer that : remove

As far as those whom are in disagreement with me , I simply gave the Scriptures that came to mind.

Outside of Sandra's bringing up "Zaccheaeus" which I feel was not a good parallel. It does not seem many others brought up much Scripture.

When I said : ///"Zaccheaeus" which I feel was not a good parallel.///

By that : I mean I did not feel it was as direct of a parallel as the examples that I gave.

He did not go the Roman Government and tell them : "You will need to arrest me and punish me because I have been skimming off the top.

Some years ago the bank presidents son murdered his girl friend. Shot her, burned her, and fed remains to his dogs. Having thrown the police completely off his trail, and feeling guilty he went to our pastor (he didn't have any connection to our church) who led him in salvation.
To make things right, he went to the police and confessed. Because of his confession he was only given several years in jail and now is a free man (in more than one way).