God's Grace to the Thief on the Cross

[bcbsr]

God's Grace to the Thief on the Cross

Lk 23:39-43 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don’t you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

The first criminal wanted only to escape the consequences of his sin without acknowledging his guilt. The second acknowledged his guilt and affirmed God's judicial nature in the punishment of sin. But his request which showed his faith in Jesus was a plead for grace in the afterlife. And grace was granted.

Dr. Charles R. Erdman comments on this event saying:
(Sacrementalism was refuted, for the thief was saved without recourse to baptism, the Lord’s Supper, church, ceremony, or good works.

The dogma of purgatory was refuted, for this vile sinner was instantly transformed into a saint and made fit for paradise apart from his personal expiation of a single sin.

The teaching of universalism was refuted, for only one was saved of all who might have been saved.

The notion of soul-sleep was refuted, for the clear implication of the entire incident is that the redeemed thief would be in conscious fellowship with his Saviour in paradise even while his body disintegrated in some grave.

it is doubtful whether any other gospel incident presents the plan of salvation more clearly or simply)

The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources

 

[timothyu]

One thief was selfish, emulating the ways of man, they being self serving. The other thief was selfless, admitting his sinfulness yet acting in defense of another who was innocent, thus emulating the ways of the Kingdom. Jesus commanded us to put the will of the Father before our own thus loving all as self. The good thief did just that showing he was worthy of a Kingdom that operated under those principles, rather than the principles of the world of man.

There is no place in the Kingdom for those who remain worldly in nature. Repentance is change, a willing allegiance to the Kingdom/governance of the Father rather than remaining loyal to the governing principles of mankind which are opposite in nature. His will be done... not ours, for ours if of the world , are about self.

 

[eleos1954]

God's Grace to the Thief on the Cross

Lk 23:39-43 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don’t you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

The first criminal wanted only to escape the consequences of his sin without acknowledging his guilt. The second acknowledged his guilt and affirmed God's judicial nature in the punishment of sin. But his request which showed his faith in Jesus was a plead for grace in the afterlife. And grace was granted.

Dr. Charles R. Erdman comments on this event saying:
(Sacrementalism was refuted, for the thief was saved without recourse to baptism, the Lord’s Supper, church, ceremony, or good works.

The dogma of purgatory was refuted, for this vile sinner was instantly transformed into a saint and made fit for paradise apart from his personal expiation of a single sin.

The teaching of universalism was refuted, for only one was saved of all who might have been saved.

The notion of soul-sleep was refuted, for the clear implication of the entire incident is that the redeemed thief would be in conscious fellowship with his Saviour in paradise even while his body disintegrated in some grave.

it is doubtful whether any other gospel incident presents the plan of salvation more clearly or simply)

The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources

The notion of soul-sleep was refuted, for the clear implication of the entire incident is that the redeemed thief would be in conscious fellowship with his Saviour in paradise even while his body disintegrated in some grave.

we don't go by implication ... we go by what the word of God says ... all of it ... not implication from one verse or one incident.

Many, many, many verses state of sleeping in the grave .. even Christ refers to death as sleep.

Besides that ... we know from the book of Acts, Christ himself did not ascend to heaven that very day.

Makes perfect sense (and is overwhelmingly biblically supported) that (earthly death) is referred to as sleep because ALL will be resurrected some day ... until then everybody waits (unconscious/dormant) in the grave, until He returns.