What would you say to a murdering thief at his execution?

Question

Imagine a man who selfishly robbed people all his life and even killed people, just to take what he wanted from others. He stands before you about to be executed for his crimes. Is he going to Hell for not being a good person like the rest of us? GOOD CHURCH GOING PEOPLE GO TO HEAVEN AND BAD SINFUL PEOPLE GO TO HELL,,, RIGHT? WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY TO THIS MURDERING THIEF? ON THE DAY OF HIS CRUCIFIXION, JESUS SAID "THIS DAY YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE." Jesus said that to the thief on the cross next to him. DID THE THIEF SAY HE WAS SORRY FOR WHAT HE HAD DONE? NO!!! DID THE THIEF GET BAPTIZED OR GO TO CHURCH? NO!!!! Jesus did not condemn this man, and we as Christians have no right to condemn others, we also have no right to tell people if you dont go to church or get baptized you will go to hell, the Bible will not back that up. The thief confessed that he believed in Christ, and he was saved PERIOD!!! Agree?

Answer 1

You are NAILING the Unconditional Love aspect of God. Most people are like the 'good son' in the prodigal son parable where they believe God's love is conditional and involves saved versus unsaved and special rewards for those who believe and obey. God tries to show the good son that the reward is the very fact that he's with God.

Answer 2

The simplicity of the truth of your statement overwhelms a religious man! He has all these ideas of what he and you must do. What this man did is recognize his day and what was happening. He had the greatest and most simple revelation a man can have! Why are these people so zealous to kill this good man, he knew he was a bad man and deserved to die but after seeing all the evil thrown at a man and him to say good things back or nothing but forgive, wow this was pretty strange. You cannot be in the presence of God and not feel special unless your pride is in the way. This man had no pride and said the right words at the right time very much unlike the other thief. And he was rewarded for it. He spoke the words that saved him, remember me. God can never forget you. Especially when you are saying the Bible for your day. Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
And God only really requires you to follow the one he sent not any church; John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. Now if I say I was sent how many would believe that, they prefer to say false prophet to any that would claim to be sent

Answer 3

Actually, the thief on the cross did ask for Jesus to remember him...he believed in Jesus at the end and put his faith in Jesus. THAT is the difference, unrepentant souls should reap their punishment......BUT we as christians should still forgive them. If we do not it will lead to a hardened heart on our parts. Its not about going to church and getting baptized in order to be saved, it is about believing in Christ and having a relationship with Him in your heart........

Answer 4

I do not agree. Jesus had not died for our sins when he allowed the thief to be with him. The baptism represents the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The thief who died on the cross beside Jesus, was not subject to what we are today. Jesus DIED for the redemption of our sins.

And it is more than just a confession of your belief and faith that will get you into Heaven. You MUST believe in your heart that Jesus is your Lord and savior and died for your sins, you MUST repent and be godly sorry for the remission of your sins, and you must be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ (the baptism representing the death, burial, and resurrection of the new creature you will become) and you Must recieve the gift of the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.

After all of that, you must still llive your life according to God's purpose and direction for You! With the Holy Spirit, you will be able to do so.

Answer 5

One word -- Calvinism. God's people are predestined, elected, drawn to Him, no "acceptance" needed, as if man could authorize his own salvation. The thief simply RECEIVED salvation by grace through faith in Jesus. God's acts do not depend on man's approval, and you're entirely correct in your statements. However, if he was to live, he would have participated in God's covenant of baptism and communed with God's people as a result of his faith, not as a condition for salvation.

Answer 6

God is love and God is just. He cannot let a sinner into eternity with HIm. He cannot let a sin go unpunished. He does not want any of His creation made in His image to go to hell. There is no way we could ever do enough to cover all our sins and make us clean enough for heaven. One sin cast Adam and Eve out of God's presence. This seems like an impossible situation to me, but God had a plan. He Would allow justice to be done, and preserve all who chose to accept His plan. He sent His only Son to earth to die in or place. He took all our sins upon Himself, and God poured out all the punishment for our sins upon Him and all our sins were paid for. Now all we have to do is repent of our sins and thank God for paying for providing us forgiveness through the blood of Christ and accept Him as our new Lord (No longer following our old masters Satan and our own evil desires).

I believe the thief realized who Christ was and repented in His presence. I do not believe baptism is required for salvation, but 999 times out of 1000 I don't think that matters, because we are told to be baptized. We should then, as the first act of obedience to our new master, be baptized since it is obvious he wants us to do it. If you have been "saved 5 years and are not baptized I believe it would be right to wonder if you really are saved. Why hasn't your heart convicted you to obay such a simple, obvious command.
I believe that as long as you have breath you have hope, no matter what your sin. So like one of the founding fathers (who people are now saying wanted seperation of church and state) said when condemning a felon to death I suggest you get on your knees and beg your creator for mercy and forgiveness (not exactly like that - his speech was much more eloquent but it has been a few years since i read it).

Yeah, it sure doesn't seem fair that God would take felon over an altar boy who hadn't gotten around to choosing Him. It sure doesn't make sense to our finite minds, but HIS ways are much higher than our ways. To try to understand Him would be like a one dimensional figure (like a line) trying to understand a cylindar. All it knows is length. How could it understand all the features of a cyilnder? God has the right to do as he wills. We have no place to tell Him He messed up.

Everyones sins have been paid for.Its as though Jesus is handing "get out of jail free cards" to everyone who take it. But when you get sent before the judge if you don't have it because you wouldn't take it (for whatever reason - didn't believe you had sinned, din't believe Christ died for your sins,didn't believe there was a God, didn't believe He could/would/had a right to judge you then His dying to get you that card did you no good and you will pay towards the Price Jesus has already paid for you for all of eternity.. Pretty silly, Huh?

Answer 7

Yes you are correct.That is what it says in the Bible, but we know about Jesus and we still need to keep good morals and follow in God's ways.

Answer 8

Jesus also said "deny me before man, and I will deny you before my father" So, the man believed- I guess that's good enough. Umm... I really don't know. I am so confused when it comes to that stuff. I guess I would just say to the man:
"Pray"...

Answer 9

i wouldnt go to his execution. the thief on the cross was a special dispensation though , i believe.

Answer 10

What David T said!