Making things Right

Here is an interesting story of a confession by a Youth Pastor. I would have to say that my gut feeling is that this man got saved at some point after the crime, and, knowing that the Holy Spirit convicts, he finally got right with God and society.
I'll bet he'll be an awesome witness in prison. Plus, maybe the family of the victim will have some sense of closure. What a horrible secret to carry around with you for 14 years.


From the ASSOCIATED PRESS:

HOUSTON – A newly ordained youth minister decided he could no longer keep his secret and admitted fatally stabbing a convenience store clerk 13 years ago.

Calvin Wayne Inman of Pasadena, near Houston, who served at the 800-member Elim Church, surrendered to police and said he committed the crime as a 16-year-old in 1994.

Mr. Inman, ordained as a youth minister this year, was arrested Wednesday and charged with capital murder. He is being held at the Harris County Jail without bail.

"It was a situation that was on his conscience," Ron Nissen, pastor of the Pentecostal church, told the Houston Chronicle. "He knows it's the right thing to do. His desire is to help other kids not make the same mistakes he did."

This month, Mr. Inman told authorities that he and a 13-year-old friend planned to rob a grocery store on Aug. 14, 1994. The store's clerk, Iqbal Ahmed, asked for identification, and Mr. Inman said he pulled a large kitchen knife and stabbed Mr. Ahmed in the chest.

Mr. Ahmed died at the store. The two teens ran, and the case remained unsolved.

Mr. Nissen said that Mr. Inman told him about the stabbing several weeks ago, and that he encouraged the 29-year-old to surrender.

Police said they interviewed Mr. Inman's friend, who acknowledged being involved in the robbery but not the stabbing.

Relying on 1994 juvenile laws preventing prosecution of people 13 or younger, police said they could not charge the friend.

What this man did years ago is inexcusable, horrible, and tragic. His coming out and admitting to it will probably cost him dearly - maybe even with his life. After all, there are consequences for our sin, even after we confess it.

But what is truly amazing, and what I thank God for every day, is that there is no person on the face of the earth, no matter how wicked they have been, or what atrocious crimes they have committed, who cannot be forgiven by God and made clean again. God is incomprehensible in His mercy and forgiveness. He is the only One Who can offer us not only salvation from our sins but Who can offer us an unimaginable glorious eternity with Him in heaven. There's nothing we can do to obtain either of those things because we are born condemned and in bondage to sin. Only Jesus can set us free. This youth pastor will have to pay his earthly debt to society for his sin. But through trusting in Jesus Christ, his spiritual sin has been paid for because Jesus Christ already took care of that for him on the Cross.