The Thief on the cross destroy's ROYS/works salvation

Cockcrow

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The Thief on the cross simply believed on Christ and was saved by grace through faith right on the spot by Lord Jesus Christ. He didn’t repent of his sins, he repented of unbelief, changed his mind and was saved. he didn’t get water baptized, didn’t belong to a church, didn’t confess his sins, didn’t live a changed life or show proof of salvation, no!

Jesus promised that whoever believes in him has eternal life, and I believe the thief on the cross is a perfect example of Romans 4:5 the one who doesn’t work, yet believes on Christ is saved!

These people who insist you must live a changed life, or show evidence of your salvation are wrong, Lordship salvation is a lie, salvation has always been by grace through faith without works.

1 John 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
 
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dzheremi

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And in 2012, double amputee (and future murderer) Oscar Pistorius became the first person without legs to participate in the summer Olympics. Does that mean that we don't need legs in order to be great runners?

Or maybe, just maybe, does it mean that we can't take exceptions to the rule as though they are or ought to be the norm?
 
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FutureAndAHope

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I believe the thief on the cross was repentant.

Luke 23:40-41 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong."​

He saw his life and realized he had done wrong, and feared God. The fact that he had no time to "show" this does not mean he was not truly repentant.

Your statment, is off the mark:

These people who insist you must live a changed life, or show evidence of your salvation are wrong, Lordship salvation is a lie, salvation has always been by grace through faith without works

A person must have a changed life after coming to Christ, how be it often a process.

2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity."​

The person who puts their sins before God, is described in the following way:

1Jn 3:8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
What did Jesus come to destroy, "our sins".

Gal 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
The Holy Spirit moves us away from our sins.
 
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Hammster

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The Thief on the cross simply believed on Christ and was saved by grace through faith right on the spot by Lord Jesus Christ. He didn’t repent of his sins, he repented of unbelief, changed his mind and was saved. he didn’t get water baptized, didn’t belong to a church, didn’t confess his sins, didn’t live a changed life or show proof of salvation or a changed life, no!

Jesus promised that whoever believes in him has eternal life, and I believe the thief on the cross is a perfect example of Romans 4:5 the one who doesn’t work, yet believes on Christ is saved!

These people who insist you must live a changed life, or show evidence of your salvation are wrong, Lordship salvation is a lie, salvation has always been by grace through faith without works. and People will still claim that salvation was by works prior to Christs death, and not by faith alone, the thief on the cross debunks that lie.

1 John 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
How does the Holy Spirit work in our salvation?
 
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Lukaris

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It depends on how long you live. The Lord will meet you where you are at when you call on Him. The Lord told the rich young man to keep the commandments meaning yesterday, today & tomorrow but the rich young man thought he was already justified and was definitely not ready for discipleship ( Matthew 19:16-26).
 
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Brother-Mike

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Quoth Chrysostom on this topic:

In the beginning, God shaped man, and man was an image of the Father and the Son. God said, “Let us make man to our image and likeness.” Again, when he wished to bring the thief into paradise, he immediately spoke the word and brought him in. Christ did not need to pray to do this, although he had kept all people after Adam from entering there. God put there the flaming sword to guard Paradise. By his authority, Christ opened paradise and brought in the thief.
Against the Anomoeans 9.15.

This probably doesn’t help. More like raise the question of how Chrysostom viewed the Afterlife.
 
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Maria Billingsley

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The Thief on the cross simply believed on Christ and was saved by grace through faith right on the spot by Lord Jesus Christ. He didn’t repent of his sins, he repented of unbelief, changed his mind and was saved. he didn’t get water baptized, didn’t belong to a church, didn’t confess his sins, didn’t live a changed life or show proof of salvation or a changed life, no!

Jesus promised that whoever believes in him has eternal life, and I believe the thief on the cross is a perfect example of Romans 4:5 the one who doesn’t work, yet believes on Christ is saved!

These people who insist you must live a changed life, or show evidence of your salvation are wrong, Lordship salvation is a lie, salvation has always been by grace through faith without works. and People will still claim that salvation was by works prior to Christs death, and not by faith alone, the thief on the cross debunks that lie.

1 John 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
Yes correct. The first step is repentance from unbelief to belief. Thanks for sharing! Blessings.
 
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d taylor

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I also like John Piper’s commentary on the Thief: “When the books are open for the Thief on the cross the whole universe will bend over and watch God judge this man.” Brilliant.

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
 
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JulieB67

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These people who insist you must live a changed life, or show evidence of your salvation are wrong,

I don't think you understand. It's not about "must" ,etc. True repentance is a change of heart. If you're honestly repentant you are going to "want" to live a changed life. And when you do, you works will "naturally" come. That's the point. We all fall short and will fall short all of our lives. The difference is that we know when we do and we "want" to get back on the righteous path. Sanctification takes time as does problem sins that we want to work on to get rid of. But someone that claims to be saved but doesn't honestly care if they go on sinning has not repented.

I John 1:6 "If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:"

I John 2:4 "He that saith "I know Him," and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."

The thief died but was apparently repentant and knew Christ was the Savior. So of course he didn't have to have works. Again it's not about "must" it's about our hearts/minds. Which our Father knows. But we can't just say we are saved and go on living in sin willfully -and not caring. If that's the case, you weren't repentant/saved to begin with.
 
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Valletta

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The Thief on the cross simply believed on Christ and was saved by grace through faith right on the spot by Lord Jesus Christ. He didn’t repent of his sins, he repented of unbelief, changed his mind and was saved. he didn’t get water baptized, didn’t belong to a church, didn’t confess his sins, didn’t live a changed life or show proof of salvation or a changed life, no!

Jesus promised that whoever believes in him has eternal life, and I believe the thief on the cross is a perfect example of Romans 4:5 the one who doesn’t work, yet believes on Christ is saved!

These people who insist you must live a changed life, or show evidence of your salvation are wrong, Lordship salvation is a lie, salvation has always been by grace through faith without works. and People will still claim that salvation was by works prior to Christs death, and not by faith alone, the thief on the cross debunks that lie.

1 John 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
Satan believes in Jesus but is not saved. There is a lot in the Bible about salvation, how we are saved through Baptism, how we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, and how we are saved by faith, and how faith without works is dead.
 
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HTacianas

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The Thief on the cross simply believed on Christ and was saved by grace through faith right on the spot by Lord Jesus Christ. He didn’t repent of his sins, he repented of unbelief, changed his mind and was saved. he didn’t get water baptized, didn’t belong to a church, didn’t confess his sins, didn’t live a changed life or show proof of salvation or a changed life, no!

Jesus promised that whoever believes in him has eternal life, and I believe the thief on the cross is a perfect example of Romans 4:5 the one who doesn’t work, yet believes on Christ is saved!

These people who insist you must live a changed life, or show evidence of your salvation are wrong, Lordship salvation is a lie, salvation has always been by grace through faith without works. and People will still claim that salvation was by works prior to Christs death, and not by faith alone, the thief on the cross debunks that lie.

1 John 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

The thief on the cross died sinless. He died sinless because Jesus forgave him of his previous sins and "sin[ned] nor more" just as Jesus said to those who he healed, "go. And sin no more". I suppose the thief could have blasphemed from the cross but he apparently didn't, so there were no sins he could have committed after his forgiveness. Today, we receive forgiveness of our previous sins though baptism, just it says, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins", see Acts 2:38. If someone were to be baptized and die immediately afterward, he would also die sinless just as the thief did.

Along with baptism we are to "repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance", Acts 26:20. And that repentance is more than simply a change of mind, but is "repentance from dead works and of faith toward God", Hebrews 6:1. Not simply faith, but faith and repentance from "dead works", e.g., works that lead to death - sin. We enter into salvation by grace though faith without prior works, see Ephesians 2:8-9, but it is by works that we are continuously justified, just as James said, we are "justified by works and not by faith only, James 2:24.
 
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TrevorL

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Greetings Cockcrow,
The Thief on the cross simply believed on Christ and was saved by grace through faith right on the spot by Lord Jesus Christ. He ... didn’t get water baptized,
I consider that the Thief on the Cross is a true example of what water baptism symbolises. The Thief believed in Jesus when most others had forsaken him and did not believe that Jesus would be raised from the dead and after this Jesus would come in His Kingdom. The Thief thus understood the Gospel of the Name and the Kingdom. The Thief was crucified with Christ and he will be raised when Jesus returns. We need to have an affectionate belief of the Gospel of the Kingdom and Name and identify with the death and resurrection of Jesus by baptism in water Acts 8:5-6,12, Romans 6:1-8.

Kind regards
Trevor
 
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Ceallaigh

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There's more to salvation than a ticket to heaven. Part of the package is salvation from sin in this life. Jesus said that he came so that we might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (John 10:10). Referring to sin as a thief robbing us of that life. What the rich young ruler in Mark 10 asked for was aionios zoe. Which includes a more abundant life in this lifetime. Living life to its fullest extent.
 
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Danthemailman

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In Matthew 27:39-44, we see that those who passed by, along with the chief priests scribes and elders blasphemed, mocked and shook their heads at Jesus and even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled with the same thing. I certainly don't see being crucified as a thief, blaspheming, mocking and shaking your head at Jesus as being the fruit of repentance/faith. Yet, moments later, we see that one of the thieves had a "change of mind" (repentance) placed his faith in Jesus for salvation and was saved (Luke 23:40-43). Of course, he died before having the opportunity to be water baptized.
 
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d taylor

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Well a majority of christian churches/preachers/peoples believe and teach a legalism form of eternal life salvation.

That is different than what The Jews did by adhering to the Law (but in a way like). The difference is now, the legalism comes in man created ways, so many of the churches may differ from each other in their requirements for salvation. Some many say a person needs to do x plus x plus x while other may say one needs to do y plus y , etc...

But they are all really saying the same thing that a person must follow the churches crafted salvation plan. Then after death face a final judgment to see if you did live a life of enough commitment/obedience to God. To see if you were good enough to be given or judged, for the reception of eternal life.
 
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Soyeong

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The Thief on the cross simply believed on Christ and was saved by grace through faith right on the spot by Lord Jesus Christ. He didn’t repent of his sins, he repented of unbelief, changed his mind and was saved. he didn’t get water baptized, didn’t belong to a church, didn’t confess his sins, didn’t live a changed life or show proof of salvation or a changed life, no!

Jesus promised that whoever believes in him has eternal life, and I believe the thief on the cross is a perfect example of Romans 4:5 the one who doesn’t work, yet believes on Christ is saved!

These people who insist you must live a changed life, or show evidence of your salvation are wrong, Lordship salvation is a lie, salvation has always been by grace through faith without works. and People will still claim that salvation was by works prior to Christs death, and not by faith alone, the thief on the cross debunks that lie.

1 John 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

Someone can still have faith while being physically prevented from expressing it, but someone can't have faith while choosing to not express it.

In Matthew 19:17, Jesus said that the way to enter eternal life is by obeying God's commandments, so do you think that he was wrong?

In Romans 2:13, Paul said only doers of the law will be justified, so do you think he was wrong?

In Psalms 119:29-30, David wanted God to put false ways far from him for God to be gracious to him by teaching him to obey His law, and he chose the way of faithfulness, so this has always been the one and only way of salvation by grace through faith. God's law is His instructions for how to have Christ and to believe in Him.
 
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