No, the reasonable explanation is the simplest one that has been reiterated throughout the New Testament, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved”, “For by grace are you saved through faith; and not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast”. That is what the thief did and it was accounted unto him for righteousness without the tortuous machinations of “exceptions” that only devalue the justice of God.
“For by grace are you saved through faith; and not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast”. That is what the thief did and it was accounted unto him for righteousness ....”
I could post scores of Scripture references that talk about the importance of “works”...I think the problem is the misunderstanding of works...was not the thiefs defense of Jesus works? Wasn’t his faithful prayer to Him, works?
“without the tortuous machinations of “exceptions” that only devalue the justice of God.”
Jesus Christ’s words to the thief are hardly machinations, but Truth. No man can devalue God’s justice.
The Calvinist approach I’ve seen here is that of some shabby lawyer looking for a loophole in some shabby rental agreement.
In order to conform the plain word of God to the writings of Cauvin, His commands, instructions and gifts must be subjected to these absurd (il)logical gymnastics.
Pitiful.
Calvinism: (n) - the tortuous machinations of “exceptions” that only devalue the justice of God.