The
Thief On the Cross
The question has been raised, "Why can't a person be
saved today like the thief on the cross in Luke 23:39-41?" The
person who raises such a question usually continues by saying, "after
all the thief was saved without being baptized."
The Bible answer to this question is found by "rightly
dividing the word of truth" (II Timothy 2:15). Jesus lived
under the Old Testament Law. Galileans 4:4 says, "but
when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son,
made of a woman, made under the law...." When Jesus died
on the cross He removed the Old Testament Law. Paul says, "blotting
out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which
was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it
to the cross..." (Colossians 2:14). In Hebrews 9:15-17
the writer says, "and for this cause He is the mediator
of the new Testament, that by means of death, for the redemption
of the transgressions that were under the first testament,
they which are called might receive the promise of eternal
inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of
necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is
of force after
men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while
the testator liveth."
Simply stated - - the thief on the cross could be saved without
being baptized as Jesus commanded in Mark 16:16 because he
did not live and serve under the authority of the New Testament.
While he was on earth before his death, Jesus granted forgiveness
under various circumstances (Luke 7:48; Mark 2:5; etc.).
Since His death, his will (the New Testament) is "in force" and
all must obey the Gospel plan of salvation in order to become
a child of God and be saved (Hebrews 9:16-17; Mark 16;16;
Galatians 3:26-27; Hebrews 5:9).
The thief on the cross was not subject to the New Testament
Gospel plan of salvation. Today, you and I are under the
New Testament of Christ. Have you obeyed the truth? Jesus said. "He
that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that
judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge
him in the last day" (John 12:48).