And one of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? “And we indeed justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong. And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43)

Can We Be Saved Like the Thief on the Cross?

The thief in context  Presumably, the thief, as a descendant of Abraham, was heir to salvation through keeping the covenant God made with the Jews through Moses.  The conditions of pardon of the old covenant were to give way to a new and living way of salvation through Jesus Christ.

 The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him, and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)  And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” (Acts 19:4)

 Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea, and all the district around the Jordan; (Matthew 3:5)

Things that the thief knew  There was a God  God was to be feared  Jesus was associated with God  There was right and wrong  He had something to answer for beyond death  Christ was innocent

Where did he get this understanding?  The one dying next to him was Lord  Jesus could help in his circumstance  He would still establish His kingdom in spite of His death

The salvation of the thief does not assure the salvation of the unbaptized today!

The crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus marks the beginning of a new age of revelation and a new covenant based on that revelation!

 Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day; and that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. (Luke 24:44-47)

 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. (Mark 16:15-16)

That new covenant was inaugurated by the shed blood of Jesus and could not be entered until after Jesus’ death.  for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:28)

 And for this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, in order that since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives. (Hebrews 9:15-17)

The thief did not live under the gospel age.  He did not have access to the blessings of the new covenant, since it had not yet been ratified.  He was not a subject of the terms of the gospel since they had not yet been announced by Jesus!  He could not have obeyed in baptism a likeness of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection; since Jesus had not yet died!

People today are subject to the terms of the new covenant since it has been ratified!  In every case of conversion after the inauguration of the new covenant, baptism is mentioned as a part of the process of entering that covenant.  Paul taught that baptism is a likeness of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.  The thief could not have done that since Jesus had not yet died, been buried or raised!

Those who believe in salvation by “faith only” appeal to the thief not only to say that those who can’t be baptized are saved but also those who can be baptized but won’t!

The ultimate intention of the argument from the thief is to contend for salvation without baptism for everyone who says “the sinner’s prayer”!!!!