thart the thief on the cross had to obey the gospel, when it had not even been preached yet?
2006-10-22 06:52:55 · 11 answers · asked by Southern Apostolic 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
John, the gospel is
1Co 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1Co 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures;
1Co 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures:
If this is the preached gospel, then it could not have been preached before calvary. If it is not the preached gospel, then Paul is wrong, and therefore invalid.
2006-10-22 07:06:27 · update #1
the thief may have been baptized by John or Jesus and his apostles "And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins" (Mark 1:5) "Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John. (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples) (John 4:1,2)".
Secondly, the thief on the cross lived under the law of Moses, not the New Testament (see When the Law Was Ended). Jesus did not command baptism for salvation until after the death of Himself and the thief.
Thirdly, the thief was incapable of being baptized, because he was on a cross for the rest of his life. If Jesus made an exception for the thief, why would you think He would make that exception for you? Are you on a cross? Are you unable to find water to be baptized? Which makes more sense: to follow a thief's example, or to obey the words of Jesus Himself?
2006-10-22 07:03:38 · answer #1 · answered by K 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are mistaken. Jesus did preach the gospel. He even sent the Holy Spirit to remind the apostles of what he preached and they wrote those things down. Jesus taught people who he was, what he was about to do what was going to happen to him and why he came to do this.
The thief on the cross did not need to obey the gospel because Jesus had not yet died and even the book of Hebrews sates plainly that in order for a testament to go into effect there must be the death of the testator. So therefore since all things have been placed in Jesus authority by the Father ( which refutes the Jesus only theories itself) Jesus being the living testator could and did allow the thief to be saved without obeying.
People today who try to use this story to prove that baptism is not essential is like a lawyer who tries to change the will of someone dead just because that person did so while alive.
2006-10-22 14:20:34 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Which thief are you talking 2 where hung with Jesus. One mocked and blasphemed Jesus. The other rebuked the thief, saying "do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly,for we receivce the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong. Then he said Lord remember me when you come into Your kingdom. And Jesus said to him, Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise." Mark 23: 40
We can only guess about the thief's, were they Jewish? Then they would know what the ten commandments were. Also what Roman law was.( I don't think Romans could be crucified, because they could appeal to Caesar.)
Jesus preached through out the region approximately 3 yrs. Could they have heard ,or heard of Jesus & His miracles& teachings? Would it be resonable that they were there at the time Jesus was spit upon, slapped,whipped and judged ?
One thing we know is one thief recognized who Jesus was the Lord & from God, and he believed in Him. Also the fact Jesus would indeed come into His kingdom, although things were pretty grim at that moment that's faith.
The good news, the gospel is this, Jesus came to die for our sins, while we were yet sinners, and He arose again & ascended into heaven & will return again. Amen
2006-10-22 14:53:21 · answer #3 · answered by Faith walker 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the gospel means the good news and has been preached since moses and the prophets started preaching it to Israel christ brought it to the gentile nations meaning the rest of the world.
the ten commandments said thou shall not steal.and Repentace was also taught.
Just now with Christ people have an acceptable sacrfice for sin because he gave himself.
2006-10-22 14:02:55 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are mistaken Southern..Jesus had been preaching the Gospel for 3 years..Everybody knows this.God bless.Update:The Gospel is eternal Brother..It was preached long before Jesus was on earth(Isaiah 9:6,Genesis 3:15)God bless.
2006-10-22 13:55:30 · answer #5 · answered by John G 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Because people today don't realize that the only requirement for him to go to paradise with the Lord Jesus Christ was for him to believe that the Lord Jesus Christ was Lord, the King of Israel. Luke 23: 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. Luke 23: 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. Salvation for us today is believing that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sin, that He was buried and took our sins away and He rose again for our justification. He did it all for us but the only thing the thief on the cross knew was that He was the Christ and that all He need to know at that time.
2006-10-22 14:08:00 · answer #6 · answered by Ray W 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What do you mean the Gospel had not been preached? The words of Jesus are considered the Gospel...
2006-10-22 13:55:53 · answer #7 · answered by Sativa 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The thief on the Cross had just accepted Christ as his savior. He didn't have any time for anything else before he died. That is all.
2006-10-22 13:56:53 · answer #8 · answered by BumbleBee 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The thief was in the presence of the Gospel.....
2006-10-22 13:58:34 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
After making sense of your question, you do have a point. Actually, the chapters of the bible on Jesus were written long after Jesus' death. He defied the laws of the Jews and made his own. I don't know about you, but I understand why he was killed. Back then, people killed other people that didn't follow or abide by their laws and religion. God killed people that didn't keep the sabbath day holy right? Why wouldn't Jesus be killed? Who would know that he was God's son?
2006-10-22 13:56:51 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋