I appreciate your lack of finality of salvation. It is colloquial. It is wrong. The Thief never repented — DID HE ? Jesus said , who we need to hear, said “Because of your faith, TODAY, you will be with me in heaven” . This argument is OVER! Don’t stack stuff on salvation — WHICH IS SIMPLE —BELIEF IN JESUS AS THE SON!!
I see you're enjoying your own personal flavor.
“WHICH IS SIMPLE BELIEF IN JESUS AS THE SON”
Two men with demons ran from the tombs to see Jesus they said to him:
Matthew 8:29 King James Version (KJV)
And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
The two demons obviously believed Jesus to be the Son of God.
Are they saved?
http://biblehub.com/luke/23-43.htm doesn't show a single translation of the Bible where Jesus refers to the thief's faith. What translation are you using?