The thief on the cross was forgiven and promised heaven before the death of Christ and did not get baptized.
A Christian is one forgiven of their sin.
Luke 7:48 Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
Mathew 9:2 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”
If you keep dumping quotes with out addressing my comments individually then this is just a one way convo my friend.
I answered you and yes people were forgiven before Jesus died by Jesus Himself. Baptism saves? They were saved before they had baptism, some didnt even do it. You think a ritual of water is more valid than obeying Jesus?
You have one man who obeys Jesus, word by word but never gets baptized
You have one man who does water baptism and doesnt obey Jesus
By your logic the one that did the water baptism is the one going to heaven. Its not the baptism that forgives, its Jesus Himself who forgives, makes alive and decides who is and who isnt.
There are two covenants in the Bible.
The OT Covenant -
The Cross - The NT Covenant
As shown above the Cross of Christ separates the two covenants.
(Jer. 31:31-34) (Heb. 7:12 ; 8:6-13 ; 9:15-17 ; 10:9,10) (Gal. 4:22-31) (Rom. 10:4)
Notice what (Jer. 31:31-32) says.
Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make
a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
God said the two covenants (or laws)
would be different.
The cross
separates the OT and the NT Laws.
To try to say the Thief had to be baptized (immersed for the remission of sins) would be like asking Noah or Abraham to be baptized. The Lord did not command them to be baptized for the remission of sins. How could they be
baptized into the death of Christ when they lived many years before Christ ever died? Note (Rom. 6:3,4) (Col. 2:11,12).
The thief
was saved under the OT Law. He was never commanded to be baptized.
So your argument fails.
It is true Jesus could forgive sins while He walked the earth.
* A Christian is one who has
believed, repented,confessed Jesus as the Son of God, and been baptized for remission of sins and added to the church according to (Rom. 10:9,10) (Acts 2:38,47 ; 8:5,12,13 ; 16:30-34 ; 22:16).
All the saved (Christians)
are located within the church according to (Acts 2:38,47) (1Cor. 12:13) (Gal.3:27) (Rom. 6:3-6,16-18) (Col. 2:11,12).
salvation which is in Christ Jesus (in the church). (2Tm. 2:10)
We must remember
Christ is the head of the church (Eph. 1:22,23) and
the people are the body (the church / the body) according to (Col. 1:18,24).
In the NT n
one are saved (Christians)
outside of the church according to the scriptures I posted above. (Acts 2:38,47) (2Tim. 2:10).
Those baptized in (Acts 2:38) were
placed into the church (the kingdom) by the Lord as noted in (Acts 2:47) (Col. 1:13) (1Cor. 12:13)
*
Baptism Saves (1Peter 3:20,21) (Mark 16:16). (not baptism alone)
TRUE or FALSE
In water baptism is
"WHEN" the operation of God happens. Note (Col. 2:11,12)
It is
the Lord who does the work at the point of baptism. (cuts away sins)
It is
the blood of Christ which washes away sins (not the water). (Eph.1:7) (Rev. 1:5) (Acts 22:16).
* Jesus told Paul in (Acts 9:6) to go find a preacher (Ananias) and he would tell him
how to be saved.
Ac 9:6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord,
what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and
go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
Paul learns
how to be saved in (Acts 22:16).
1. Arise
2.
Be Baptized (Mark 16:15,16) (Acts 8:5,12,13,26-40)
3. Wash Away Your Sins
TRUE or FALSE