This isn't true though; because the people in the Old Testament were still atoned for by the blood of Christ.
There's only 2 covenants - the "Old" and the "New". Only one person ever fulfilled the Old; and that was the one who started the New.
As far as we know too; the thief did not go to Sheol. Jesus says to him "this day you will be with me in paradise". Now unless the thief died before Jesus did; which does not seem to be the case, based on the text and the soldiers breaking their legs. There was no "second chance" to "accept" Jesus.
Speaking of sound doctrine - we are never told anywhere in the Scripture to "accept Christ". We're commanded to repent and believe.
1. They were given a chance to accept Christ when he preached to them in Sheol, his blood atonement would still atone for their sins after they accepted him. Those who were saved when they died under the Old covenant(or before) would still be saved.
2. Yes this is true.
3. As far as we know he did in fact go to Sheol the same day Christ did. That is where he went to when he died before he ascended to heaven on Sunday. Here is a short study showing that Both Christ and the Thief both went to sheol after death.
"Lastly people will try to use the thief on the cross. There are three ways people try to use the thief on the cross.
- Christ and the thief went to heaven when they died.
Now when we look at the verse,
Luke 23:43
43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.
This makes sense when taken at face value not looking at the rest of scripture. When we do though we see the error in this line of thinking. When Christ died he did not go to heaven he went to sheol/the grave.
1 Peter 3:18-19
18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
Ephesians 4:9-10
9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
We know that he didn’t ascend until mid or late morning because he appeared to Mary after she left his grave and still had yet to ascend.
John 20:16-17
17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
After speaking with her he ascended and then reappeared to the disciples and told them to touch him.(John 20:19-28). So it is obvious this line of thinking cannot be the case.
2 and 3: The other two ways people try to use are basically the same with only a minor difference. One believes that when he said this he was referring to the day of judgement(1st way) and that there is a inspired comma. The second believes that he was referring not to judgment day and the resurrection but to sunday when he finally ascended, and they may or may not have a special comma. The answer to both of these is the same.
In the original greek there was no punctuation so it would read:
43 And Jesus said unto him Verily I say unto thee Today shalt thou be with me in paradise
So we can clearly see that it is friday that he is referring to, and where did he go on friday. The answer is sheol/the grave. And the thief he spoke to went there the same day as him. Paradise is the Place thought by the ancient Jews to be the place where the righteous souls went when they died.
Paradise- Paradeisos 3857
Thayer’s greek lexicon
3. that part of Hades which was thought by the later Jews to be
the abode of the souls of the pious until the resurrection: Luke 23:43
Now we know that even today the dead still sleep(Acts 2:27-31, 1 Peter 3:18-19, 2 Peter 2:4, Psalm 16:10, Acts 7:60, 1 Cor 15:6,1 Thessalonians 4:13) and none have risen except for Christ. No man is resurrected except they be a part of the first or second resurrection.( 1 Thess 4:13-17, Acts 7:59-60, 1 Corinthians 15:6, 1 Corinthians 15:18-23, Revelation 20:11-15, Revelation 20:4-6)"
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4. Here are all they places that say we must believe on Christ and what we are to believe about him to be saved. After which comes repentance, forgiving all those that have wronged us, and baptism to be saved.
In order to saved you must first believe on Yahshua the Christ
John 3:3,15-18,35-36; Acts 16:31-33; John 6:47; John 5:24; John 14:1; Romans 10:8-9; Hebrews 11:6; Acts 10:43; 1 John 5:4-13; Mark 16:16
We must believe that Christ was God manifest in the Flesh
1 Timothy 3:16; Collosians 2:8-9; John 1:1,14; John 8:28
Must believe Christ lived a sinless life
1 Peter 2:22; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 John 3:5; 1 Peter 1:18-19
Must belive Christ died for all mans sins
Luke 1:77; Acts 13:38; Hebrews 10:16-18; Luke 24:45-47
We must believe he raised himself from the Grave on the Third day
John 2:19-21; John 10:17-18
Romans 10:9-10
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.