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Simplifying the Thief on the Cross
Simplifying the Thief on the Cross
Forget for now that the thief lived and died under the Mosaical Law and Jesus’s Covenant didn’t become effective until after He died (Hebrews 9:16-28).
Forget for now that we don’t know if the thief had been previously baptized by either John or Jesus’s apostles before he was captured and condemned. Many were baptized (John 3:22-23), and the thief knew much about Jesus and His kingdom.
For now remember this. Jesus said, “the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (Mark 2:10). Do you believe this? I do.
While on earth Jesus said to the thief, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Did Jesus have the right to forgive the thief? Yes, because “the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (Mark 2:10).
While still on earth Jesus said to His apostles, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16). Did Jesus have the right to tell the world they must believe the gospel and be baptized to be saved? Yes, because “the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (Mark 2:10).
I believe the thief was saved because Jesus had the right to save him then and there.
I believe the world is saved when believing and being baptized because Jesus has the right to save us then and there.
Are we the thief to whom Jesus didn’t mention baptism or are we the world that Jesus said must be baptized?
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