The Thief on the Cross
 

There is no greater picture of the grace of God than the thief on the cross. The man, suspended between heaven and earth next to the Savior of the World, cannot do anything but beg for mercy. "Remember me..." were his words to Jesus. Christ's response, "Today you will be with me in Paradise" displays to us succinctly what unmerited favor means.

To argue this scenario any other way is to ignore the power of its truth. Some say, "Well, the thief was under a different dispensation. Water baptism in Jesus Name and the gift of the Holy Ghost was not available to him. Therefore we cannot say that the thief is not a picture of NT salvation". After they broke the legs of the thieves to expedite their death, they found Jesus already dead. Jesus was dead before the thief. Jesus cried out "It is finished". The blood of the New Testament was shed. The thief very well could've been the first man in the door of the New Testament!

The argument that the thief was under the OT covenant fails as well on the basis of the fact the man could not do what the law required. He couldn't go offer animal sacrifices, observe Passover, be circumcised (if not a Jew), follow the Jewish traditions and customs. And if you argue he falls under the OT covenant, you are saying it was easier to get to heaven in the OT than the NT.

A preacher told one time about a man who was on his deathbed and was not ready for heaven. He said he was frustrated because he felt helpless to help that man. Later he said he felt the Lord showed him what he could've done. He said, "The Lord told me 'you could go get a glass of water for that man, because where he's going, there'll be no water there. You could go find that man a baby and show him the face of an infant because where he's going there'll be no babies there. You could smile at that man because where he's going there'll be only weeping and gnashing of teeth.'" He then went on to say, "I don't know why I felt led to tell you that story, brother, but maybe you can use it next Sunday." I got off the phone and thought, "How depressing!" I then said, "Lord, if that man on his deathbed could not utter a prayer of repentance and you couldn't save him in his desperate cry for help, I don't know that you are really that much of a Savior." In the time that preacher got a glass of water, found a baby or smiled, he could've led the man to repentance, and in my opinion, salvation.

But if you don't believe salvation comes by grace through faith, I guess you'd feel hopeless to help a man in his dying moments.

I think the thief on the cross was included in the Bible to show us just how hopeful and powerful the grace of God is. What a gift!

Re: The Thief on the Cross
 

Grand post Deacon!!!!!

Re: The Thief on the Cross
 

You have to love it when people throw "The Lord Told Me" so freely. REALLY? The Lord told you to basically mock this person as they are dying? SURE...right, I believe that one.

I have to tell you that I am glad the Jesus I know and love is not the same as the one portrayed by some folks. If he was, none of us would stand a chance no matter what kind of life we lived or faith we exercised!!

i have prayed with dying family members and I do know how frustrating it can be when you compare where they are with what you have been told is necessary to make it in, but I will say this, and no it was not "The Lord Told Me", but I left the last family member after having read ACTS 2:38 and the whole shooting match (to which she was bewildred and really did not understand what I was talking about), I remember driving home, and a great peace coming over my spirit.

God knows what He is doing and is still sovern. And that's all I got to say about that...

Re: The Thief on the Cross
 

The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The thief on the Christ was not saved by the gospel that Paul preached. He was saved by faith in the Lord. The same way the saints of old were saved by faith in Jehovah. The thief on the cross couldn't be saved under the Law because he broke the law. But his sins were forgiven by the blood shed on the cross. The thief on the cross was saved and no apostolic can say otherwise.

That does not mean we are not to repent and be baptized in Jesus name and that is the command for NT believers. It just means the God has made exceptions and He is sovereign.

If we use this story to take away from the NT church message they preached, we have played the scripture cancels scripture game. That just don't work.

God can save anyone with faith, period.

God wants us to repent and be baptized and receive that promise of the HG and walk in the light.

John 3:1-21

Re: The Thief on the Cross
 

I do not believe in death-bed salvation. Repentance is a life-style which cannot simply be a change of mind from immediate compulsion. I am more than happy to pray with a sinner on his death bed even at the last moment, but to offer a hope for sinners going through life with the expectation that they can live however they wish and then at the last moment of life expect to enter into eternal felicities by breathing a sinners prayer just before the last breath, is extreme presumption...a grievous sin, a cleansing from which David begged for forgiveness. He confesses and asked for forgiveness from his presumption sin.

Re: The Thief on the Cross
 

Deacon,

I wonder what happened to all of the people who died in the short period between Christ's death and Pentecost?

They died after the NT was in full effect, but before they heard "the message."

Re: The Thief on the Cross
 

Or all those in North and South America immediately following the events of Acts chapter 2. Unless no one died for well over a thousand years, quite a few natives have no idea who Jesus was.

Re: The Thief on the Cross
 

Wow! You are one of the most arrogant poster's on this Forum! What gives you the right to claim someone can't find God in the fleeting moment before death???

The Bible clearly shows us that time is of no consequence or barrier with God.

You sound like one of those who got paid the same wage as the man who came in the last hour of the day. You can't stand the fact that God would put the last, first.

Re: The Thief on the Cross
 

I'm surprised that an opinion could make you so flaming angry. Did you not see the words, "I do not believe in death-bed repentance...?"

Having an opinion with which you disagree would cause you to become so inflamed with animosity that you would start calling me names? You must be having a very difficult time in life.

Re: The Thief on the Cross
 

Because your view of salvation is works-focused, not God's-work focused.