I cannot tell you how many times, I’ve been lambasted by the “Name it and Claim it” crowd, that if my WORKS don’t show, then I’m not “saved”.
They can never explain the deeds of the thief on the cross who made it to heaven with Christ that day—and he wasn’t even baptized!
Satan has many ways. If he can't keep them from it he will get them to pervert it in some way. Christ always responded with "it is written". It's amazing how many consider "it is written>/b>" to be secondary to "the church teaches".
The thief had faith and opened his mouth in public. How many people have read his testimony, identified with him, and come to believe in Jesus as Savior. The thief’s works was his public testimony.
They have an explanation ...
**They can never explain the deeds of the thief on the cross who made it to heaven with Christ that day—and he wasn’t even baptized!**
Jesus wasn’t gone yet.
The Lord COMMANDS rebirth in John 3:5 “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”. He tells us how it is to be accomplished AFTER his departure, in his commissions: Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:16; Luke 24:47; and John 20:23. For he said the Spirit (the Comforter) would not come until he is physically gone (John 16:7).
That rules out the thief needing to be born of the Spirit. Jesus Christ was still there. AND...Christ hadn’t died yet. He hadn’t fulfilled the Law that God ordained, until his death. That’s what his words “It is finished”, and then dying, mean.
“For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength AT ALL while the testator LIVETH.” Heb. 9:17