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!
And “Paradise” was a waiting place since Jesus Christ was the first person into heaven.
Same-day service!
I believe it was the words "your kingdom" that saved him.
He believed Jesus was who He said He was and actually HAD a kingdom, and that there is some kind of consciousness there and the repentent theif wanted Jesus to remember him.
As I understand scripture and many evidences in my own life and the many testimonies of my brothers and sisters ... Jesus' love is very easily given and all we have to do is believe Hin and receive Him.
The thief ‘identified himself as a sinner’ when he said he and the other thief were worthy of death for what they had ‘done’.....He then looks to Jesus and Identify’s with Jesus as sinless.....(He has ‘done’ nothing wrong)...at which he asks he remember him when he entered ‘his kingdom’....which again was recognizing him as the promised Christ..Jesus response ‘confirmed’ he would be with him.
Jesus does not leave us guessing about our salvation....it is usually people who cannot get past the legalities of the law, (which Jesus fulfilled for us) to accept the ‘finished work’ Jesus has done.
As Jesus said.....”These things have I written to you that you may ‘know’... (not wonder or guess)....but ‘Know’ that you have eternal life....... who believe on the name of the Son of God”....1 John 5:13
“For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God”.....Ephesians 2:8
You cannot pay for a ‘gift’...it’s given freely.
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The sole basis of our salvation is the obedience to his commandments that is written on our hearts.
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