Today I have the privilege of doing the funeral of a man who was converted just days before his death. In his honor, here are five observations from the conversion of the thief on the cross in Luke 23:32-43.
1. The soul continues
to exist, even after death. Jesus said, "Truly, truly I tell you, TODAY...!" (Luke
23:43, emphasis added). The criminals were sure to die on the cross. Death was inescapable.
Crucifixion resulted in a 100% chance of death. The only question was “when would death come?”
The Romans were experts at crucifixion. Nobody ever got off the cross and lived to tell about it.
These are our chances as
well--100%. All men die. And yet the Bible is clear that all men will continue on in
eternal consciousness after death. James say, "Yet you do not know
what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears
for a little time and then vanishes" (James 4:14).
Have you ever thought about what will happen
when you die? Have you ever considered the fate of your own soul ten seconds after you die?
3. If any man should
go to Heaven, it is by grace alone. Notice this man's honest confession. "We are receiving the due reward for
our deeds" (23:41). How could a criminal like this ever be admitted into heaven? The only answer is by grace! Most
people believe that people go to Heaven based on our good deeds. If this were so,
the thief had no chance. He was literally pinned to the cross. What good could he do now? He could not
serve the poor. He had no chance to ever again walk a "little old lady" across the street. He could
not reach into his wallet to drop a quarter into the Salvation Army bucket. Surely he
did not deserve forgiveness, and yet Jesus gave it to him by grace alone!
4. He was admitted to
Heaven based on a profession of faith in Jesus. He said, "Jesus, remember
me when you come into your kingdom" (Luke 23:42). This isn’t the most complete
theological statement about Jesus in the Bible, but it is a faithful one! He called Jesus a King. There is much that
the thief leaves out (Jesus' divine nature, His Preincarnate glory, His resurrection etc.) but
it is a believing profession. A simple plea of faith. A simple request—“save me.”
5. It is better to be
converted at the latest possible moment, than not at all. The other Gospels
tell us that both criminals mocked Jesus at first (Matthew 27:44; Mark 15:32). But Luke's Gospel implies that the second thief had a change of heart for some reason. Perhaps it was
based upon the manner in which Jesus testified on the cross. In other words, it
was Jesus’ death on the cross that changed his heart.
But if there is one thing of which I am sure--it is better come to Christ at the eleventh hour than not at all!
-Matthew Everhard is the Senior Pastor of Faith Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Brooksville, Florida.
CAN MEN, TODAY, BE SAVED LIKE ENOCH?
ReplyDeleteDid you ever notice that the hydrophobic believers in Jesus want to be saved like the thief on the cross? Their argument is the thief was not baptized in water, and was still saved. Thief proponents fail to mention that the thief was also saved without being born of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit of promise had not been given at that time. So the logical conclusion would be that men, today, can be saved without being born of water and the Spirit. (John 3:5 Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.")
The question is why do men, today, not petition to be saved like Enoch?
Genesis 5:24 Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.
1.Enoch did not believe Jesus was the Son of God. Was Enoch saved? YES.
2. Enoch did not confess that God raised Jesus from the dead. Was Enoch saved? YES.
3. Enoch was not baptized in water. He was not immersed for the forgiveness of sins. Was Enoch saved? YES.
4. Enoch did not believe that Jesus shed His blood on the cross so he could have his sins washed away. Was Enoch saved? YES.
5. Was Enoch born of the Spirit? No. The Holy Spirit of promise was not given until the Day of Pentecost. Was Enoch saved? YES.
WAS ENOCH SAVED? YES.
Can men, today, be saved like Enoch? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
Men, today, can only be saved by meeting the terms for pardon under the New Covenant; also know as the New Testament, the New Will, the New Agreement, the New Promise.
THE THIEF ON THE CROSS
Luke 23:39-43...And He said to him, :Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise."
1. The thief believed Jesus was the Christ. Was the thief saved?YES.
2. The thief repented. (He turn from sin and turned toward God). Was the thief saved? YES.
3. The thief did not confess that God had raised Jesus from the dead. Was the thief saved? YES.
4. The thief was not immersed in water for the forgiveness of his sins. Was the thief saved? YES.
5. The thief was not born of the Spirit? The thief did not receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Was the thief saved? YES.
WAS THE THIEF SAVED? YES.
Can men, today, be saved like the thief on the cross?ABSOLUTELY NOT. Men, today, can only be saved by meeting the terms of pardon under the New Covenant.
The New Covenant came into effect after the death of Jesus, on the Day of Pentecost.
Hebrews 9:16-17 For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. 17 For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives.
MEN,TODAY, CANNOT BE SAVED LIKE ENOCH NOR SAVED LIKE THE THIEF ON THE CROSS. ENOCH AND THE THIEF WERE NOT SAVED UNDER THE NEW COVENANT.
Note: The book of Acts contains several conversions that took place under the New Covenant. There is no record of anyone saying.
A. I do not have to believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
B. I do not have to be born of water and the Spirit.
C. I do not have to confess that Jesus was resurrected from the grave by God in order to be saved.
D. I do not have to be immersed in water in order to be saved.
E. I do not have to repent, (Turn from sin and turn to God), in order to be saved.
IN ORDER TO BE SAVED UNDER THE NEW COVENANT; WHICH STARTED ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST. YOU NEED TO MEET THE TERMS FOR PARDON.
FAITH: John 3:16
REPENTANCE: Acts 2:38
CONFESSION: Romans 10:9-10
BAPTISM: Acts 2:38, 1 Peter 3:21, Mark 16:16
YOU CANNOT BE SAVED LIKE ENOCH!
(All Scripture quotes from:NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE)
YOU ARE INVITED TO FOLLOW MY BLOG. http://steve-finnell.blogspot.com