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How Could the Thief on the Cross Be Saved? - Ask Pastor Tim
I'll Be Honest ^ | 12/3/18 | Tim Conway

Posted on 12/03/2018 3:45:53 PM PST by 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?


TOPICS: Evangelical Christian; General Discusssion; Theology
KEYWORDS: bible; grace; luke
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1 posted on 12/03/2018 3:45:53 PM PST by OddLane
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To: OddLane

Just like anyone else gets saved. Accept Christ.


2 posted on 12/03/2018 3:47:16 PM PST by MayflowerMadam (Great things never come from comfort zones.)
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To: OddLane

Read your Bible. The answer is there.


3 posted on 12/03/2018 3:48:18 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: OddLane

Considering that asking Jesus to remember us when He comes into His kingdom is the SOLE basis of salvation, it seems to me that the thief had saving faith. It is a good thing that we do not have any elector detectors, giving us the knowledge of who is going to heaven or not. That is not our responsibility. Further, salvation is of FAITH ALONE in CHRIST ALONE, not as a requirement of good deeds, else there would be boasting of who made it and how far.

The thief is in. Jesus said to him, “TODAY you will be with me in Paradise.” That’s as good as it gets!


4 posted on 12/03/2018 3:50:42 PM PST by Jemian (War Eagle! Always, War Eagle!)
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To: OddLane

I hope this question wasn’t posed by a Christian. If so, they’ve completely missed point. None of us lead fully righteous lives. We try, we fail. It really doesn’t matter; all that does is faith - and the thief had faith.

Now I’ll await the bombarding from the “faith alone isn’t enough” crowd.


5 posted on 12/03/2018 3:52:37 PM PST by HonorInPa
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To: OddLane

[He did not show any fruit of repentance.]

He did admit he was guilty of sin and asked the Lord to save him for eternity.

Luke 23:39-43 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

39 One of the criminals who were hanged there was [a]hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” 40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”


6 posted on 12/03/2018 3:54:04 PM PST by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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To: Jemian

And “Paradise” was a waiting place since Jesus Christ was the first person into heaven.


7 posted on 12/03/2018 3:55:08 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Jemian

Same-day service!


8 posted on 12/03/2018 3:55:18 PM PST by Migraine
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To: OddLane

Because it is what Christ does not what we s that accomplishes our salvation


9 posted on 12/03/2018 3:56:00 PM PST by Mom MD ( .)
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To: OddLane

“He did not show any fruit of repentance.”

Who says?

He had a very short life after accepting Christ and showed fruit the whole short period.


10 posted on 12/03/2018 3:56:57 PM PST by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: Salvation

Spoke like a Catholic


11 posted on 12/03/2018 3:57:07 PM PST by Mom MD ( .)
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To: OddLane

Well for one thing, if Jesus himself deems you “saved”, you are.

And two, you don’t lose salvation for living a sinful life. That’s kinda the whole concept of why you need salvation. You try to do right, but that isn’t what saves you.


12 posted on 12/03/2018 3:58:18 PM PST by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up. ....)
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To: OddLane

You might also check out the Prodigal son story.


13 posted on 12/03/2018 3:59:02 PM PST by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up. ....)
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To: Salvation

Where was he before his incarnation?


14 posted on 12/03/2018 4:01:11 PM PST by Fungi
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To: Salvation
Read your Bible. The answer is there.

And notice you won't find purgatory in there either.

15 posted on 12/03/2018 4:05:47 PM PST by ealgeone (SCRIPTURE DOES NOT CHANGE! However, Roman Catholicism has, does, and will change.)
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To: SaveFerris

People grouse that the thief wasn’t baptized too.


16 posted on 12/03/2018 4:06:40 PM PST by Gamecock (In church today, we so often find we meet only the same old world, not Christ and His Kingdom. AS)
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To: Gamecock

true


17 posted on 12/03/2018 4:07:11 PM PST by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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To: OddLane

We can stand in the field and pout all we want...but we are invited in for the party. Read the story of the prodigal son and his brother.


18 posted on 12/03/2018 4:08:07 PM PST by SENTINEL (Kneel down to God. Stand up to tyrants. STICK TO YOUR GUNS !)
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To: Gamecock

Baptism of Desire

Baptism of Blood


19 posted on 12/03/2018 4:13:09 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: ifinnegan

His (the thief’s) death on the cross was his penance. We may be forgiven our sins, but will still suffer the punishment, either in this life or the next. That is also, by the way, one of the better arguments in favor of capital punishment.


20 posted on 12/03/2018 4:13:10 PM PST by I-ambush (I didnÂ’t think, I never knew, that I would be around to see it all come true)
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