The Reading

Luke 23:39-43

Hello, Baptism is something mentioned many times in the New Testament, but even though it is mentioned many times, I still cannot explain to others why “The Thief On The Cross” did not need to be baptized, even though he was living in Jesus’s times.Did Jesus violate His own commandments, such as Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; John 3:3-5 etc., by telling the “Thief”:“Today you shall be with Me in Paradise?”If we cannot be saved without baptism, why was the thief on the cross saved in a “blink”?Thank you for your prompt answer.

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• Luke 24:43- And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

• Why do we preach baptism when he (the Thief) was not baptized?

• Is it possible for Jesus to contradict His own teachings?

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• The Thief Might Have Been Baptized!– No one knows/can prove if he was baptized or not– The thief lived last 3 years in the midst of widespread

teaching, practice and acceptance of baptism• John preached baptism “to all the people of Israel” (Ac. 13:24)• “All the land of Judea…went out to him” (Mark 1:4-5)• “Jerusalem, all Judea & all the region of Jordan” (Matt. 3:5-6)• “…the multitudes that came out to be baptized” (Luke 3:7)• “When all the people were baptized…” (Luke 3:21)• “Jesus made & baptized more disciples than John” (John 4:1)• The thief could have been baptized, then lapsed into old ways.

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• The Thief Might Have Been Baptized!– The thief had a good knowledge of Christ (Lk 23:39-43)• He knew, believed & respected Jesus more than most•Most likely he learned this earlier, perhaps even as a disciple

Luke 23:39-43 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ,[ save Yourself and us.” 40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

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• The Thief Did Not Live Under the N.T. Like We Do!–The thief lived and died under the Old

Testament.• The testament under which he lived did not

require baptism.• The testament under which we live does

require baptism.

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• The Thief Did Not Live Under the N.T. Like We Do!–Fundamental principle found in Hebrews 9:15-17•A testament is only in force after the death of the

testator.•After death, the testament assumes authority/control.• The thief lived before the testament requiring baptism.

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• The Thief Did Not Live Under the N.T. Like We Do!– One is amenable to the law under which he lives.• The thief was not subject to New Testament baptism.–Neither was Adam, Noah, Abraham, David, etc.• Today we are not subject to animal sacrifices, Passover, etc.• People do not get it, they do not understand the purpose of

the Old and New law, many say: Oh, well, Bible is Bible right?

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• The Thief Was Forgiven By the Authority of the Testator!–While on earth, before His will went into

effect, Christ had the authority to forgive sins personally and directly of whomever He desired, independent of “baptism” on their part (cf. Matt. 9:6).

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• The Thief Was Forgiven By the Authority of the Testator!– Jesus is God, Jesus is The Creator, Jesus can do whatever it

pleases Him, but he will never contradict His Word!• He could forgive the paralytic in Mark 2:5.• He could forgive the sinful woman in Luke 7:48.• He could forgive the adulteress in John 8:11.• He could forgive Zacchaeus in Luke 19:9.• He could forgive His executioners in Luke 23:34.• He could forgive the thief in Luke 23:43.

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• The Thief Was Forgiven By the Authority of the Testator!–While on earth, before His will went into effect,

Christ had the authority to dispense blessings directly based upon His own will at the time.• A testator may dispense as he sees fit while still

alive.

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• The Thief Was Forgiven By the Authority of the Testator!• At death, Christ’s authority took force in His written will.–The blessings of His estate are now only dispensed through His will.–The terms of forgiveness were set out in written record, specifying baptism

as a condition of pardon from sin (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21; etc.).

– No one has the legal right to eliminate or alter any portion or condition of His will by appealing to something the Lord did during His earthly ministry.

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• The Thief Is Not Our Example of Conversion!– After His resurrection, Jesus gave the Great Commission,

requiring baptism.• The book of Acts details how this Great Commission was

carried out.• In every case of conversion in “The Christian Age” (1,000’s

of them in the book of Acts), baptism was essential.• All were saved (without exception) on exactly the same

terms—the law of pardon given in the Great Commission.

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• The Thief Is Not Our Example of Conversion!

–Not one single time in the book of Acts did anyone ask, “What about the thief on the cross?”–The thief does not constitute an example for us

today!

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• The Thief Is Not Our Hope of Salvation!–Our salvation is based on the Lord and what

He did!•Not on the thief and what he did (or didn’t

do)!

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• The Thief Is Not Our Hope of Salvation!–Jesus is the only way to the Father (John

14:6)!• Obeying His will is the only hope we have of

heaven (Matt. 7:21).• No one has a right to modify His will by

changing His terms of salvation.

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• The Thief Is Not Our Hope of Salvation!–My focus doesn’t need to be on the salvation of

the thief!• Nothing that he did or didn’t do will affect my

salvation!• The thief did not obey the plan of salvation in the

New Testament.

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• The Thief Is Not Our Hope of Salvation!–My focus needs to be on whether or not I am

saved! • It was the Lord who died for our sins (1 Pet.

1:18-19; 2:24).• It was the Lord who told us how to be saved

(Mark 16:16).

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• The Thief Is Not Our Hope of Salvation!–Suppose, in His last will and testament,

Jesus had said:• “He who believes and is baptized will

receive one million dollars.”• Do you suppose anyone would say, “Well,

the thief wasn’t baptized”?