The Thief on the Cross

I. Introduction: Last week we studied what things the Bible links to salvation and determined, from the Scriptures, where salvation occurs in relation to God’s commands. We noted that the Bible teaches that one’s sins are washed away in baptism and that, according to Jesus and the apostles, salvation follows baptism. Baptism is not the only thing that saves us but is a culmination of obedience to the gospel and should not be neglected. In any discuss with one who does not believe baptism is necessary, inevitably the question is raised: “What about the thief on the cross?” We will examine that question this morning.

[!NOTE] Primary Scripture Reading: Luke 23:32-43

II. The Story: Luke 23:32-43

A. Both thieves mocked Jesus, Mark 15:32.

B. Through the course of the day, one of the thieves had a change of heart

C. He rebuked his fellow thief for mocking Jesus. He acknowledged that they deserved their punishment. He begged Jesus to remember him when he died and Jesus promised the thief that he would be saved.

D. This story is cited as evidence that baptism is not essential for salvation; but the argument is riddled with faults.

III. Flaws in the thief on the cross argument

A. The historical period in which the thief died

B. Lived under the Old Law

C. The gospel covenant would not be in effect for 50 days Jesus had yet to be raised

D. The great commission was given long after the thief died

E. Matthew 28:18-20 – Go teach and make disciples Luke 24:46-48 – gospel message would begin in Jerusalem The great commission included baptism for the remission of sins The teaching would begin in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost The thief is not and cannot be an example of salvation through obedience to the gospel because he died before the gospel was completed or proclaimed.

F. The history of the thief on the cross

G. As a side note we must acknowledge what we do not about the thief. He could have been a follower of Christ who abandoned Jesus at one of the difficult sayings and pursued a life of crime.

H. He could have been baptized by John the Baptist or one of Jesus’ disciples in their ministry.

I. Though it would be speculative to say that he had been baptized it is equally speculative to say he had not been baptized. Even if he was baptized during this time, it still was not the baptism for the remission of sins taught in the gospel for Jesus had not yet died to take sins away. We have too little information to confidently assume that he had never heard Jesus before this day or had never been baptized before his crucifixion—the arguer assumes to much about the thief that is unknown.

J. The right of Jesus to forgive sins

K. Mark 2:1-12 – Jesus proved His right to forgive sins by the miracle

L. As the lawmaker and judge, Jesus can forgive sins

M. In the gospels Jesus often told people their sins were forgiven. After the gospels the message of salvation must be obeyed in order to receive remission of sins. Jesus does not speak directly to men today so one can only know if his sins are forgiven by God’s promises in His word. I can read what God commands for salvation and, if I respond as He has instructed, I know that God has given me salvation through His grace.

N. The thief on the cross is an example of salvation but of one saved under the Old Law who had direct access and verbal confirmation of salvation from Jesus: we are not in this situation.

IV. Cannot legislate by extremes and hypothetical situations

A. Some argue that a person, like the thief, may be physically unable to be baptized; therefore, baptism is not necessary.

B. What if someone dies on the way to the baptistery or, because of a dire physical condition, cannot be baptized else they will die. Flaw #1: It ignores the fact that there may have been many times in which the person could have been baptized but did not do it and waited too long.

C. Flaw #2: It ignores the fact that God may still choose to save this person but the extreme situation does not establish laws for normal situations.

D. We have many laws that proscribe expected behaviors in society.

E. We also empower judges to determine when those laws may be broken without punishment.

F. Speeding is illegal

G. If a person speeds down the road has he broken the law? Yes If the person speeds down the road to take a dying child to the hospital has he broken the law? Yes In the second example the judge (or police officer) may determine that, although the person broke the speeding law they will not prosecute him because of the circumstance. Since, in some extreme cases, some people will need to speed in order to get a sick person to the hospital does that mean that we need to take laws regulation traffic speed off of the books? No. We do not legislate societal laws by extreme cases. We realize that the regulations will apply to nearly all situations and that the judge has the right to make decisions on the extremes. Likewise, God is a good and just judge and he will judge fairly in situations that confuse us; but any exception He makes does not change the law that we must follow.

H. Flaw #3: This reasoning could eliminate all response to the gospel

I. Imagine a person who began to study the gospels but was not yet moved to “accept Jesus” because he was close, but not ready at his death, to confess Jesus.

J. What if, during the time when he was still studying the issue, he died in an automobile accident? Would he be saved?

K. He had not confessed Jesus as the Son of God though he might have after another few days of study. If we say that God would save him does that mean that confession is not necessary for salvation because, in this situation, the person could not confess Jesus because he was not yet convicted?

L. If he died some time when he was seriously considering Jesus and was moving in the direction of belief but had not reached it, would he be saved?

M. He died on his “way to belief,” would God save him? If we say God would save him does that mean that belief is not necessary for salvation because, in this extreme situation, the person could not yet believe because he died too soon?

N. We do not make political laws based on extreme cases nor should we change God’s law because we do not see how it could apply in extreme cases—God’s wisdom is higher than our wisdom.

O. It matters little what God will do with anyone else in their situation, the most important issue is what he will do with me.

P. If you know that God requires you to do something and you have the ability to do it and you choose not to do it, can you be saved? You must do what God commands you to do and let God take care of any extreme cases through His wisdom and judgment.