Question about confession and repentance

[Toasty]

Do confession and repentance entail the idea that one must be willing to turn oneself in for a crime that he has committed?

How would you respond to those who say, "I'm a Christian; I don't have to turn myself in for the crime that I committed."?

 

[Captain Picard]

If it were true that repentance didn't include turning oneself in, the governing authorities would not be God's servant for our good to punish the evildoer. In a state that called good evil and evil good, civil disobedience might in fact be part of repentance, in that the state may have lost its status as that servant, but I would think the norm of natural consequences (and of showing oneself actually repentant) would include accepting legal consequences.

 

[Gravey]

Good question Toasty.

The example of Philemon comes to my mind. To import that into your scenario...The 'crime' here was Onesimus, the slave, running away from Philemon, his master. If it were ok for Onesimus to simply go on his way, then Paul would not have sent him back to Philemon. Confession and repentance on part of Onesimus (inferred from him being a "beloved brother" (vv.16)) was part and parcel of his return to Philemon.

In my mind that example shows a convert recognising the error of his ways, and returning to 'face the music' for his actions.