If Peter actually is the "Walmart Greeter in the Sky", I'm gonna ask him if I can talk to him and about Our Lord and Savior. (But he's probably heard it a million times...)
“The thief on the cross, on the other hand, was a career criminal—a serious enough villain that he had been sentenced to die by the slowest, most painful form of capital punishment known to man. He’s called a robber in Matthew 27:38—the Greek word there speaks of a brigand or a highwayman. He was crucified with a partner—both had been slated to be executed along with Barabbas, an insurrectionist and killer (Luke 23:18–19). All of that indicates that the thief on the cross was part of a gang of cutthroat ruffians who stole by violence and lived by no law but their own passions. He was clearly vicious, mean-spirited, and aggressive because in the early hours of the crucifixion, both he and his cohort in crime were taunting and reviling Jesus along with the mocking crowd (Matthew 27:44). But as that thief watched Jesus die silently—“oppressed . . . afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter” (Isaiah 53:7)—the hardened criminal had a remarkable last-minute change of heart. Literally in the dying moments of his wretched earthly life, he confessed his sin (Luke 23:41), uttered a simple prayer: “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom” (Luke 23:42)—and was ushered that very day into paradise (Luke 23:43), clothed in perfect righteousness, all his guilt borne and paid for in full by Christ.” —John MacArthur
It's true! All men are saved from death and will be resurrected from the dead, both the good and the bad regardless of what they have said or done, this salvation comes through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:21-23 "For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming." All means all, but in his desperation the thief had not repented or been baptized for a remission of his sins when being "ushered to Paradise". Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." Notice Jesus said his Father was in heaven, not in Paradise or inside Jesus' body. Waiting for his coming and the judgement in paradise is not going to heaven, it's going to Paradise. Matthew 7:24 "Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. My friends don't short change yourself in Paradise or Heaven by not doing good works along with your guaranteed grace given resurrection and salvation. The thief's sins and guilt will be paid for by Christ after he has repented of them and changed his ways signifying his obedience to the requirements of Christs gospel.
Simply put? The thief believed in Jesus as the Messiah/God and remember the crucifixion was in O.T.time & still under law & paradise was a place for O.T.Saints. And remember still Jesus led after his resurrection "captives in his train" which most scholars will tell you that is the entrance to heaven? God saved me! Then my repentance proceeded after he chose me for his glory! The thief's only repentance was when he called upon the Messiah as he had no way of good works but trusting in Jesus hanging from his cross! God chose the thief the same way as all who come to him John 14:6 & John 6:37
No amount of good works or sacraments of the church will get any of us into heaven. It is only through true belief. And through that true belief we want to do good works!
Dave, It's too big of a gamble to ignore the additional requirements of God's word. Consider again John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face ..... James 2:14 What doth it profit, my brethern, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works is dead, being alone. 18. Yea, a man may say, thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. James 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead. James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. You need both Dave to be a "friend of God. 2:23" Don't risk it, you have to do more than "want to do good works", that's what the Bible says.
As Paul stated: Faith is all that is needed for salvation. The realization that a "drowning person" cannot save themselves, but need the "life line" and simply reaches, grabs hold, and is saved. But, once at that point, spends his/her life "throwing that same rope of salvation" to as many as will grab hold. That is the fullness of "I will show my faith (my belief in the salvation rope) by throwing it to any and all, in the hope and expectation, that "if only one" grabs hold, and is saved, is enough and worth all of it". As Paul said; "I will show my faith (belief) in my works, putting my trust that the effort will be multiplied." Rather than simply proclaiming, "my faith is enough to reach others". Belief without acting on the belief is not belief, it is an excuse, to none effect. An individual's salvation is not "earned" by works. But a person who claims to "believe", yet does not act (works) on that "belief", insults faith and salvation. For it does not end with us. We must reach out to those that need the rope, so they may realize the "non-works" for themselves.
How does one explain the thief on the cross who that very day was with Jesus in paradise if his "Works were nothing more than an acknowledgment of Jesus being the sacrificial lamb of G_D Yes, Paul & James promote works of showing one's faith! And I agree one must exhibit his true faith by exhibiting the attributes of a new birth (regeneration) But in the context of a man hanging on a cross would not fit the scriptures shown in a post here.
Paul is stating that having faith that inspires the belief and understanding that "the man on the middle cross" is eternally sufficient, yet people (say) they believe all the time, yet nothing in their lives is testimony. As there were in those days, people who claimed a spiritual manifestation, yet did nothing with that empowering. And that same thing can be seen in some today, (nothing new under the sun) Mankind does not change over time, only the days change, but we are the same from Adam, exactly the same. Sure, we adapt to new things and incorporate them into our lives and culture, but the "machine", man, is the same make and model as the first. The only real and effectual (eternal) way one can be changed is by the Cross, and that is always one man, one encounter, with the One in the middle. Paul states, that his faith and his salvation, not only being sufficient, is also that which compels him to works (deeds, or "mitzvot" in Hebrew), but that the man on the middle cross, said he can come in, is the fullness of sufficiency, and that hos works, thereafter are worthy of themselves for that which they touch on others, that those works would bring the message of that cross to them, or them to it. Romans 10 explains it better.
The thief's conversion is of God and the ones over the centuries who SEE his works of acknowledgment of who Jesus is is sufficient evidence of the only "works" he could accomplish on that horrid wretched cross! The point here is simply that Works are a bi-product of true faith. And why the WHOLE process is of God's doing not of one's self-efforts or works duties traditions etc.
I would say yes given the conversion to his saving grace first! I know when he uses one to tell others of HIS salvation and opens their ears (spirit) to receive his love! The sense of love and fulfillment is a new and much deeper sense of accomplishment Again by his will and not ours!
