How Could the Thief on the Cross Be Saved? - Ask Pastor Tim

I'll Be Honest ^ | 12/3/18 | Tim Conway

[OddLane]

Some ask, “How was the thief on the cross saved if he didn’t live a righteous life?” Let us consider what this implies about how they believe a person is declared right before God.

Original question: Please clarify this for me. Regarding the theif on the cross. How do you compare his salvation with ours? I mean, he did not live a good life at all. He did not show any fruit of repentance. He did not live right, yet Jesus saved him anyway.

How was Jesus able to save him when we are clearly instructed to live right and to turn from sin? As I understand it, he was the only one in scripture who had this deathbed salvation so we can’t rely on that but you know what I mean?

[af_vet_1981]

The passage in James says that man is not justified by faith alone, and that faith without works (faith alone) is dead. Therefore one must consider that the premise
That passage in James speaks of justification before man, not God
is incorrect. All through the Gospels the Messiah taught what James wrote.

[af_vet_1981]

Romans clearly says Abraham was justified, but not before God.

That is not what is written; read it again and see what was left out of that premise.

[trebb]

If you read about it in the Bible, you will find that your statements, therefore the whole premise of your question, are not fully accurate. Might as well ask how Kjng David, who cuckolded the faithful Uriah and had him killed, after screwing his wife, was able to die without sin....

[ealgeone]

???Didn't go through a priest???? ??? Christ IS a priest. And not only "a" priest, but the One priest, the High Priest.

Ok...to clarify....he didn't go through a Roman Catholic priest!

But I'm encouraged to know you recognize Jesus as our only priest to turn to.

[metmom]

Nope.

Galatians 2:16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

[metmom]

NEW covenant, not a *renewed one*.

You need to stop listening to that chief heretic and wolf in sheep’s clothing you’ve been advocating for.

He’s been lying to you.

[dartuser]

Read James epistle.

Like the part where if anyone fails in one part of the law he/she fails the entire thing.

Your requirement is perfect obedience to the Law ...

The Law does not provide, nor did it ever provide regeneration ... which is why the old covenant nation of Israel contained many unbelievers. The Law did not provide a guarantee of regeneration.

The New covenant DOES provide for regeneration ... in fact, regeneration is the entrance requirement for the new covenant ... there are no unregenerate believers in the new covenant. If you are not regenerate, you are not a true believer.

What you are espousing is NOT the new covenant.

[Mrs. Don-o]

I always love to encourage you, ealgeone. It seems to take you by surprise, which is why I have to LOL just a wee bit from time to time.

[ealgeone]

You’re getting there.....one day perhaps!

[Buttons12]

Yet the thief was saved.
Hardly the only time Jesus gainsaid one of his followers.

[MHGinTN]

What did Abraham say to the accompanying men, before, BEFORE he took Issac on up the mountain?

[T. P. Pole]

Thanks for that. Your link seems to suggest that Paradise and Heaven are two different places. That would seem to agree with my question about “not ascended to the Father”, but seems to disagree with nearly every other post on this thread (which is actually why I asked my question in the first place).

[Mrs. Don-o]

:oP

[Mrs. Don-o]

Exactly right, metmom.

#45

[MHGinTN]

Jesus descended into a place divided into two distinct regions, with a great gulf fixed between the regions. On one side is 'the comforting of Abraham's bosom', on the other suffering and misery. Jesus exposed this in His telling of the rich man and Lazarus the beggar. When Jesus came out of the tomb, He led those on the Abraham's bosom side out of that holding place. He left those in misery there to await the Great White Throne of Judgment day of reckoning. We have no clear notion of time for the events, from the 'other side' perspective, so the thief on the cross was with Jesus in the Abraham's bosom side and was led from there out of the holding place. I assume the thief then went in spirit with Jesus to Heaven, from whence GOD will bring with Jesus for the Rapture event exposed in 1Thess 4:13-17.

Many truthas in The Word of God need edifying by The Word of God, so read the Lazarus story and 1 Thess 4.

An example of Bible edifying Bible is: faith is He that calleth you for He will also do it; many are called but few are chosen; why are so few chosen who are called?... Because few will not let JESUS do it. Salvation is by Faith in Him, not faith in what we can do to earn salvation.

[MHGinTN]

Oops, remove the ‘not’ in the last sentence: Because few will let JESUS do it ...

[aimhigh]

Faith is the keeping of the commandments!

Wrong. Keeping the commandments is evidence of faith.

[MHGinTN]

The poster is a Michael Rood worshipper ... cultish notion are strong with this one.

[aimhigh]

Read Romans ch 2. (who will be justified? Doers, not hearers!)

Read the rest of Romans. After saying the doers are justified, it clearly establishes that NO ONE is a doer. No one can keep the law. That is why we are saved by faith. That is why Christ died and set us free from the law.

[SENTINEL]

The good son refused to come into the house for the party thrown for the returned prodigal son. We only hurt ourselves if we don’t join in the celebration God and the angels hold when a sinner repents.