Again, how do you know he wasn’t baptized when the Bible says nothing about it?
In general, it is not good practice to argue from the silence of scripture. The example from Acts with John's disciples showed that these disciples had to be baptised again, as they did not believe on Jesus for their baptism. A baptism without Jesus is no more than a wash.
So even if the thief on the cross had been baptised, it was not a believer's baptism. So he did not receive a water baptism since his belief (on the cross), but Jesus indicated that he would be with Him in paradise. His faith in Jesus (not water baptism, but being baptised into Christ) had saved him.
Jesus said that those who believe AND are baptized will be saved. If both thieves were baptized, and one of them repented and believed Jesus, he was saved. The other remained dead in his unbelief. Jesus said that those who don’t believe will not be saved. So, if a person is baptized, but decided not to believe, Do you think he will be saved?
No. I argue that true belief in (and on) Christ is the same as baptism into Christ which is the same as undergoing circumcision of the heart.
Again, it cannot be one or the other. It must be both just like water and spirit. If a person believes but is not baptized, will he be saved? Jesus said not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” will be saved. Obviously, those who call Jesus “Lord, Lord” believe, but they are not saved. Why?
Those who said to Jesus "Lord, Lord" but were unsaved, were not relying on Christ alone for their salvation, but Christ plus works (e.g. Christ plus water baptism) to save them. Prophesying, casting out demons, performing many wonders. All are works, like baptism (or even Old Testament circumcision). These works are the natural results of faith in Christ, not things that contribute or help us toward our salvation, which is solely through faith in Christ.
Matthew 7: 21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Because they did not follow God’s will. In other words, if Jesus said, one must be born again of water AND spirit to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.....then it should be both water and Spirit and not spirit alone.
God tells us what His will is - to believe in the One He sent - Jesus.
John 6:28-29 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Circumcision of the heart is inward unlike the flesh which is outward. Water baptism is the showing of belief in Jesus as the Son of God, confessing as a believer him as Lord and Savior. What this means is you're a repentant sinner who has come believing your sins will be forgiven, that you in Jesus are cleansed before God the Father.
I agree.
It's not water baptism itself that saves, but coming to believe and confessing yourself as a believer in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The importance given to baptism is the faith to surrender yourself and your life putting it in his hands. This is done in him through the Church, coming making yourself known as one of his and being welcomed in fellowship.
And if nothing else, it is obedience to Him. If we believe Him, we obey Him.
In the Bible many times Jesus said to those who came to him or had come for others, that their faith has saved them. Couple examples is the man who was brought to Jesus by men who lowered him through the ceiling who was paralyzed and the woman who touched his garment. What's common is they heard of Jesus and came to him, one's faith was shown before he was healed and the other after she was healed. It's a matter of belief in you and letting it be known, but it's coming to Jesus first inwardly and then being lead in his Spirit outwardly.
Amen!