It's a question that makes us squirm, isn't it? "How would you like to share heaven with a murderer?" Our human sense of justice cries out against it. We envision heaven as a place reserved for the "good" people, those who have lived morally upright lives, perhaps like ourselves. But the astonishing truth of the Gospel shatters this comfortable illusion and stretches our understanding of grace to its absolute limit.
Jesus didn't come to save the righteous; He came to save sinners.
Luke 5:31-32 NIV [31] Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. [32] I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
And in God's eyes, "sinner" is a far broader category we often like to admit. A sinner is anyone who transgresses, or breaks, God's law.The term "sin" itself, derived from the Greek hamartia, literally means "missing the mark." In a scriptural context, the mark is God's own holiness and righteousness. To be a sinner is to be a person who acts against, or fails to uphold, God's established law and will.
The Problem of "Good Enough"
Our natural inclination is to rank sin. Murder, rape, child abuse—these are "big" sins. Lying, jealousy, gossip, pride—these are "smaller" sins, often excused or overlooked. We imagine a sliding scale, believing that if our sins are on the lighter end, we're better candidates for heaven.
But the Bible paints a different picture:
Romans 3:21-24 NIV [21] But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. [22] This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, [23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Romans 6:23 NIV For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (emphasis mine)
This means there's no sliding scale to earn our way into God's presence. Whether you've committed a "big" sin or a "small" one, the consequence is the same: separation from a holy God. Every single one of us falls short. This is why the salvation offered by Jesus is so radical and so necessary.
Jesus and the Thief on the Cross: A Glimpse of Radical Grace
Perhaps the most potent illustration of sharing heaven with a "murderer" (or at least a confessed criminal deserving of death) comes from the cross itself. As Jesus hung dying, two criminals were crucified beside Him. One mocked Him, but the other, recognizing his own guilt and Jesus' innocence, cried out:
Luke 23:42-43 NIV [42] Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” [43] Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
This man, likely a rebel, or even a murderer by Roman standards, was not given a theological test. He didn't have time to perform good deeds or make amends. His repentance was simple, his faith immediate, and Jesus' response was unequivocal: Paradise.
This scene challenges our comfort zone. If we believe that only the "worthy" should enter heaven, we must then ask, what makes us worthy? Our good deeds? Our lack of egregious crimes?
The True Nature of Salvation: It's Not What You Do, But Who You Trust
The core message of the Gospel is that salvation is a gift, not a reward. It's not earned by our performance but received through faith in Jesus Christ's finished work on the cross.
Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV [8] For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— [9] not by works, so that no one can boast.
This means that the ground at the foot of the cross is level. The former murderer, the hardened criminal, the self-righteous moralist, the gossiping churchgoer, the habitually lying salesman—all are equally in need of grace. And all who genuinely repent and place their faith in Jesus are equally welcomed into God's family.
John 3:16 NIV For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (emphasis mine)
The "whoever" here is critical. It leaves no one out who chooses to believe.
Confronting Our Own Heart
When we recoil at the thought of sharing heaven with a "murderer," we often reveal an incomplete understanding of grace and a subtle pride in our own perceived goodness. It forces us to ask: Is my hope in heaven based on my own merits, or on the boundless, unconditional love of God demonstrated through Jesus Christ?
The glorious, uncomfortable truth is this: Heaven will be filled with people who were once the worst of sinners, transformed by the power of God's grace. And if we are honest, each of us, regardless of our earthly rap sheet, will be there solely by that same grace. It's a testament not to our worthiness, but to the infinite worthiness of the One who saved us. And for that, we should be eternally grateful.
Jesus didn't come to save the righteous; He came to save sinners.
Luke 5:31-32 NIV [31] Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. [32] I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
And in God's eyes, "sinner" is a far broader category we often like to admit. A sinner is anyone who transgresses, or breaks, God's law.The term "sin" itself, derived from the Greek hamartia, literally means "missing the mark." In a scriptural context, the mark is God's own holiness and righteousness. To be a sinner is to be a person who acts against, or fails to uphold, God's established law and will.
The Problem of "Good Enough"
Our natural inclination is to rank sin. Murder, rape, child abuse—these are "big" sins. Lying, jealousy, gossip, pride—these are "smaller" sins, often excused or overlooked. We imagine a sliding scale, believing that if our sins are on the lighter end, we're better candidates for heaven.
But the Bible paints a different picture:
Romans 3:21-24 NIV [21] But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. [22] This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, [23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Romans 6:23 NIV For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (emphasis mine)
This means there's no sliding scale to earn our way into God's presence. Whether you've committed a "big" sin or a "small" one, the consequence is the same: separation from a holy God. Every single one of us falls short. This is why the salvation offered by Jesus is so radical and so necessary.
Jesus and the Thief on the Cross: A Glimpse of Radical Grace
Perhaps the most potent illustration of sharing heaven with a "murderer" (or at least a confessed criminal deserving of death) comes from the cross itself. As Jesus hung dying, two criminals were crucified beside Him. One mocked Him, but the other, recognizing his own guilt and Jesus' innocence, cried out:
Luke 23:42-43 NIV [42] Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” [43] Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
This man, likely a rebel, or even a murderer by Roman standards, was not given a theological test. He didn't have time to perform good deeds or make amends. His repentance was simple, his faith immediate, and Jesus' response was unequivocal: Paradise.
This scene challenges our comfort zone. If we believe that only the "worthy" should enter heaven, we must then ask, what makes us worthy? Our good deeds? Our lack of egregious crimes?
The True Nature of Salvation: It's Not What You Do, But Who You Trust
The core message of the Gospel is that salvation is a gift, not a reward. It's not earned by our performance but received through faith in Jesus Christ's finished work on the cross.
Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV [8] For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— [9] not by works, so that no one can boast.
This means that the ground at the foot of the cross is level. The former murderer, the hardened criminal, the self-righteous moralist, the gossiping churchgoer, the habitually lying salesman—all are equally in need of grace. And all who genuinely repent and place their faith in Jesus are equally welcomed into God's family.
John 3:16 NIV For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (emphasis mine)
The "whoever" here is critical. It leaves no one out who chooses to believe.
Confronting Our Own Heart
When we recoil at the thought of sharing heaven with a "murderer," we often reveal an incomplete understanding of grace and a subtle pride in our own perceived goodness. It forces us to ask: Is my hope in heaven based on my own merits, or on the boundless, unconditional love of God demonstrated through Jesus Christ?
The glorious, uncomfortable truth is this: Heaven will be filled with people who were once the worst of sinners, transformed by the power of God's grace. And if we are honest, each of us, regardless of our earthly rap sheet, will be there solely by that same grace. It's a testament not to our worthiness, but to the infinite worthiness of the One who saved us. And for that, we should be eternally grateful.
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