Will the thief on the cross go to heaven?
The thief on the cross went with Jesus to Paradise. But we need to be careful what we conclude about baptism from the example of the thief.
Many people think some things are true because they are repeated repeatedly. For that example, many people believe, “The thief on the cross proves one does not have to be baptized to be saved.” But how do we know the thief had never been baptized prior to his crucifixion?
We only know what the Scriptures say about the thief.
Since we live on the other side of the cross, we should bear in mind the death of Jesus changed the meaning and purpose of baptism. And not only did the death of Jesus change baptism, but His crucifixion also changed the covenant; the thief lived under the covenant of Moses, and we live under Christ. So, just because many people repeat something repeatedly does not make it true; it’s only true if the facts support it.
So will the thief on the cross go to heaven? Yes! But let’s be careful what other conclusions we draw about this man.
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