"And Jesus said unto him, verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43).
Many honest and sincere people have been misled by religious leaders who have pointed to the thief on the cross as an example of salvation rather than pointing to Christ and his gospel for hope of salvation.
Unfortunately, there is much misunderstanding about the "thief on the cross." Some say, "the thief was not baptized; therefore, no one today need to be baptized to be saved," even though Christ commanded: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16).
No one can successfully prove the thief was not baptized. "Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins" (Mat 3:5-6). He lived in a country where many hundreds were baptized by John.
But, it makes no difference whether the thief was, or was not baptized, as far as salvation is concerned. The thief died the same day our Lord died. The promise, "today shalt thou be with me in paradise" was made before the death of Christ. That makes the difference. The promise was made before the new law, the New Testament was effective. The old law, the Old Testament, was in force during the personal ministry of Christ. He kept the old law, fulfilled the old law, but he removed it in his death on the cross. "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross" (Col 2:14).
The New Testament law was not in effect until after the death of Christ. "For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth" (Heb 9:16-17). The terms and conditions of a will are effective after the death of the testator. The promise was made before Christ's death.
Before the death of Christ, he could say, "thy sins be forgiven thee" (Luke 7:48), or he could say to the thief on the cross, "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." However, after his death and the execution of His will, salvation can be attained only by the terms of His last will and testament. No man on earth has the right to offer salvation for less or more than stated in the New Testament.
The apostles were chosen witnesses of the last will and testament. The terms of salvation were revealed in the will on the first Pentecost after the Lord's resurrection, the record of which is found in chapters one and two of Acts. The people who first heard the gospel, "were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37) Peter first declared that faith is essential: "Let all the house of Israel know assuredly"(v 36). That is to say, believe with all thy heart. The apostles then commanded: "Repent, and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins..."(v 38). Then verse 41, "Then they that gladly received the word were baptized." Have you gladly received his word?
Don't be deceived into thinking you can be saved like the thief on the cross. If he had lived under the new will, he too would have been required as a believer, to "believe and be baptized for the remission of sins."
"If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God" (I Pet.4:11).
Don H. Noblin
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