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Let us set the stage. Jesus was hanging on the cross, His life and work on earth very rapidly reaching its conclusion, and hanging beside him were two thieves. After a time one of the thieves (the one who has become THE thief) turned to Jesus and said: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). Jesus responded by saying: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43).
The argument is made that since this thief was saved and going to heaven without water baptism, then men today must not need it either and can be saved without it. Is that the case? Well, we will have much to say about that as we continue on. First, however, let’s discuss the word “Paradise” for it is a very misunderstood word.
Paradise
Many would probably be surprised to learn that “Paradise” does not refer to heaven. Rather, it refers to the place of departed spirits. Most scholars agree that it is equivalent to “Abraham’s bosom” (Luke 16:22, 23). It is also found in 2 Corinthians 12:3 and Revelation 2:7. The fact is, there is no authority at all to claim that “Paradise” means heaven in any of these places.
Some say it is merely an assumption to claim that the thief was saved at all, though I think this is stretching things quite a bit. After all, Scripture makes it pretty plain that “Paradise” is where the blessed souls go to await final judgment while lost souls go to torment.
Thus, evidence overwhelmingly shows that Jesus did not tell the thief that he would be with Jesus that day in heaven. In fact, Scripture seems to suggest that Jesus Himself did not go to heaven that day. His ascension was about forty days after that (Acts 1:6-11). Also, remember what Jesus said to Mary after His resurrection in John 20:17: “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father…”. To claim that Jesus did go to heaven before this is to make a leap of assumption and cannot in any way be proven from Scripture.
Another Assumption
All of my life folks have been telling me that the thief on the cross was not baptized. When I ask them how they know this, they look at me as if I don’t have a thought in my head. Are we just to accept it because they say it? Actually, the Bible never tells us whether he was baptized or not. I have always wondered why people assume that it is ridiculous to suggest that he was but certainly not to suggest that he wasn’t.
Matthew 3:5-6, speaking of John the Baptist, says: “Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.” This is obviously speaking about quite a few people. Is it so out of line to wonder if the thief was part of this number?
Actually, it does not matter in the least whether this thief had received the baptism of John or not. I only bring it up to show the tremendous assumption that must be made by those who claim that he was never baptized. In Acts 19:4 Paul said: “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” It is no longer this “baptism of repentance” that man must receive; now it is baptism for the “remission of sins.” And it is all because of what Jesus did at the cross.
At The Cross
What happened at the cross? This is a very important question, and its answer will go a long way toward clearing up so many misunderstandings people have in reference to salvation.
There are two sides of the cross. The thief lived on one side of it, and you and I live on the other. As much as people struggle against it and search for ways around it, things are different for you and me than they were for that thief (and for all people before the cross). Let us notice Hebrews 9:13-17, and we will see very clearly that a New Covenant was established at our Lord’s death: “For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Therefore He is the Mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive.”
My friends, you and I live after the death of the one who established this will—Jesus Christ. That means that we are under the New Covenant at this time. This covenant has set forth certain terms of obedience for those who would through faith accept Jesus Christ as Lord. Certainly those who would come to Christ must believe in Him but they've got to do more than that as we mentioned at the beginning of this tract.
Occasionally a person will look at a great Old Testament child of God, such as David, and claim, “I want to be just like him. If it was good enough for David to be saved that way, then it is good enough for me!” Generally speaking, they have found themselves somewhere in the Psalms and have happened upon a verse that mentions believing in God and salvation in the same breath. I suppose that such a claim sounds pretty good—until you put some thought into it, that is.
Let us not forget that David lived under the Old Covenant. While it is true that certain conditions pertaining to one’s salvation from the Old Covenant can also be found in the New Testament (belief in the Lord, for example), it is equally true that much did not.
Those who make the claim that what was good for David is good enough for them need to do some Old Testament study, particularly of Leviticus. I would simply like to know when was their last burnt offering (Leviticus 1:1-9)? Perhaps they have recently made a grain offering to the Lord (Leviticus 2:1-3)? Maybe they can let us know when they next plan on celebrating the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23:15-25)? All of these were part of the Old Covenant, and David obeyed them for he was under that covenant. So, what do you think? Is it still good enough for you because it was good enough for David?
Fortunately, you and I do not have to worry about any of that today. The Lord took all of that out of the way when He died upon the cross. Colossians 2:13-15 says, “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to an open shame, by triumphing over them in Him.”
A Very Important Point To Remember
Even if we wanted to be saved as that thief was saved, we simply could not do it for a very important reason: Jesus is no longer on earth to forgive our sins! Let’s notice an event that took place between Jesus and a paralytic in Matthew 9:2-8: “And behold, some people brought to Him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Take heart, My son; your sins are forgiven.’ And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, ‘This man is blaspheming.’ But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, ‘Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk?’ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He then said to the paralytic—‘Rise, pick up your bed and go home.’ And he rose and went home. When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.”
Jesus Himself personally forgave this man’s sins. This was not the only time He did this either. In Luke 7:36-50 a sinful woman came in to Simon’s house where Jesus was visiting. She began to wash Jesus’ feet with her tears and wiped them off with her hair. In verse 47 Jesus said to Simon, “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” Once again, we find Jesus, in person and face to face, forgiving the sins of someone.
I cannot begin to imagine how wonderful it would be to see Jesus in person and to speak to Him face to face. I cannot imagine the thrill one must feel from having Jesus Christ say to Him in person, “Your sins are forgiven you, go in peace.” It send shivers up the spine just thinking about it, doesn’t it? Yet the simple fact of the matter is that Jesus is not here personally and face to face. And while I could wish to hear those words from the mouth of Jesus that the paralytic and the sinful woman heard, I just cannot for very obvious reasons.
Because all of this is true, there is not a person living on the face of this earth, and there has not been since our Lord’s ascension, who can be saved the same way that the paralytic, the sinful woman, and the thief on the cross were saved. If we had lived at that time, perhaps we could have had our sins forgiven that way. But we do not, and for our time Christ says, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16).
Conclusion
Would you like to be saved today? Then just do what the Lord has told you to do. The verses to find His instructions have been provided at the beginning of this tract in the very first section. If we can help you, please do not hesitate to contact us by using the telephone number or e-mail address provided on the back.
As for the thief on the cross, let’s just let that poor man rest!