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The Thief on the Cross by Pastor John Samson
Luke 23: 39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!†40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.†42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.†43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.â€
I have often contemplated the potential scene in my mind as one by one, the proponents of all religions were given the opportunity of talking to the thief on the cross, and what they would say to him. This was a man who was a criminal, a notorious sinner, and definitely one whose so called "bad deeds' would outweigh the good ones. Being nailed to a cross negates any further opportunity for good works to be done. But it would be an interesting conversation, wouldn't it, to hear what each religionist might say to him? In every case (apart from perhaps universalism which teaches that all people will be saved regardless of their works) each religion would require the man to somehow come down from the cross to do something.
What would a spokeman for Islam say? How about a Mormon or Jehovah's Witness? What would a Buddhist say? or a New Age guru? How about a Roman Catholic? If each could speak to this man, what religious advice would or could they give to him for the purpose of being saved (however they even define what that means)? Some might say that all he could do would be to hope for mercy, but Christ, the biblical Christ gave him far more than just hope. In contrast to what all man made religious systems could give the man, Christ gave him full assurance of salvation - and not just eventual salvation after countless years in the fires of purgatory, but bliss and paradise that very day!
Certain religions would require baptism, others would require the man go through religious instruction and devotion of some sort, while others would ask him to do more good works before his death hoping that they might outweigh the bad ones. But here's my point, the man could never find salvation in those religious systems because he was stuck, pinned, nailed to a cross. His chance to help elderly people cross roads, or to give to charity or to live a life of service was gone. Nailed to a cross, works and service were no longer possible. His was a totally hopeless case.. except that crucified next to him was Someone who was able to save him by what He was doing, rather than what the man might do. Only the real biblical Jesus with the real biblical Gospel could announce to a criminal that before the day was over, he would be with Him in Paradise!
This thief's salvation portrays the Gospel so clearly. Someone embracing anything other than the biblical gospel can only scratch their heads in wonder at the precious words given to this man, for in their system, such words would be impossible to say.
As far as I know, this man was the only person in the Bible that Jesus gave instantaneous assurance of salvation to. Jesus' words, "Today you will be with Me in Paradise" removes all doubt.
Can we know what was going on in the heart of this man? Well, we do not have a perfect understanding, but putting the pieces of the biblical text together, we can get quite a good picture. What is clear from the Gospels of Matthew and Mark is that this man had been amongst the many who had mocked Christ. Yet seemingly, out of nowhere, he turns to the other thief and says, "Don't you fear God?" Obviously, this thief was now fearing God for him to be asking this question of the other one.
He also knew he was getting exactly what he deserved - "we indeed suffer justly" he said.
He also recognized the innocence of Christ when he said, "he has done nothing wrong."
When he turned to Jesus and requested, "Remember me when You come into Your kingdom" though knowing death was inevitable for all three of those crucified, he believed Jesus would triumph over death, and therefore, would be resurrected.
In affirming the fact that Jesus would come into His kingdom, he affirmed the Lordship or even the Deity of Christ. How much he knew of this we do not know, but obviously, he knew that Christ was indeed King.
So, he had an awareness of divine judgment, he knew the availability of forgiveness, he believed Christ was the true King and that in Christ there is hope even for him, he knew of the coming Kingdom and wanted to be a part of it.
As God opens our hearts and mind to the one true biblical Gospel, we will also find in Christ the full assurance of salvation. As we turn away from any attempt at self justification, knowing that it is by grace that we are saved, through faith and all of this is the gift of God, not as a result of works (Eph. 2:8,9), we too will enjoy the sweet saving mercy of God.
What a testimony to the Gospel this thief is. His testimony is exactly the same as mine. God saves sinners through the perfect work of the perfect Savior, plus nothing! Hallelujah!
Comments
I understand and perfectly agree with your point. The problem is that you seem to be unaware of the amazing ability that the religionists have to justify their points of view and to prove with sophisticated reasonings that, in any case, the thief "deserved" his own salvation, making of his statements, repentance or faith a meritorious work sufficient for his salvation. The muslims would say that the thief was an Islamic martyr killing infidels in order to further Allah's cause. "Certainly" the promised virgins would welcome him in paradise. The humanist would say that he was saved because he was a victim of an injust society and that his crimes were understandable and forgivable. The Buddhist would say that he was enlightened and, transcending the impermanence of physical reality and guilt, earned his own nirvana, or become reincarnated and he would have given anyway a chance to redeem himself. etc. etc. Do not downplay what people could devise in order to deny the Gospel. Be assured that they would find the way to contradict Biblical Christianity!
Posted by: Paolo Castellina | January 13, 2010 07:04 PM
Hi Paolo,
I am very much aware of how people distort the gospel - and that is indeed something I wished to illustrate in my article. Man's religious systems cannot simply allow the biblical text to speak for itself, yet based on Scripture alone, the thief was justified by grace alone, through faith in Christ alone, all to the glory of God alone. The contrast between this and every other system is clearly seen.
Posted by: John S | January 13, 2010 07:54 PM
John,
brillant stuff here!
I was especially touched by these words in the first part of the sentence:::>
"....As God opens our hearts....".
That is the amazing fact of that story.
Just when did God open up his heart?
What I find equally amazing in the reality of that event is what Jesus to Pilate after Pilate chided Him for not answering him.
"Do you not know" Pilate spat!
"Oh, but, you do not know" Jesus calmly spoke!!
The one thief seems to have gotten the understanding Pilate didn't have?
Anyway, I was blessed reading this today!
May God richly bless you and keep your mind furtile with Truth and truth telling by sermon and otherwise!
Bless you!
Posted by: michael | January 13, 2010 08:56 PM
I translated this reflection into Italian and I pt in in my own blog: http://paolocastellina.blogspot.com/2010/01/il-malfattore-appeso-in-croce-che.html
Posted by: Paolo Castellina | January 14, 2010 06:02 AM
G'day John
Are we in exactly the same situation as the thief on the cross?
I think that he represents us in some ways, but not others.
I find it disturbing when people say that if the thief could have instant assurance of salvation, we also can have this same assurance if we:
Ask for forgiveness, but do not continue to live as Christians
Don't bother to be baptised, because the thief didn't need to be
Never darken the doors of a church because the thief didn't
etc
etc
Posted by: David McKay | January 14, 2010 07:13 AM
Hi David,
Unlike the thief, most of us are not pinned to a cross and so the fruit of true faith (works) can be exercised. If no works follow from the profession of faith - then the faith was not genuine/authentic. Only true faith justifies - and true faith will show itself in works. Yet we are saved the same way as the thief- being justified by faith apart from works (Rom 3:28; 4:4,5).
Holiness is the fruit and not the root of salvation.
Posted by: John S | January 14, 2010 07:36 AM
Salvation is certainly all of grace :)
Posted by: Committed Christian | January 15, 2010 12:15 AM
To be justified as this, must we feel the full of our sinfulness and its full judgement as did the thief hanging on the cross of death? Can we yet sin after and still have this kind of assurance remain? Where all our sin has yet to be seen as just in knowing we deserve death? I had known my heart had no good and even my life but not my sins at that time! And have sinned since! Can assurance be as full as the thief if one sins after he has been justified?
Posted by: Bruce Potter | January 17, 2010 10:21 PM
Thanks be to God for this post; it has refreshed my heart and strengthened me in my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who loves us and gave Himself for us.
Posted by: Tennessee | January 24, 2010 01:14 AM
Dear John,
I am making a translation of your article on the thief crucified with Christ into the Indian dialect of Malayalam.
If the Lord provides for the printing, we shall take 10,000 copies to be inserted in the newspapers in the morning of Good Friday next year.
I am also looking for an appropriate picture for the front cover of the tract.
Thank you for the article.
In His abundant grace,
Pappy Daniel.
Posted by: Pappy Daniel | April 3, 2010 11:06 PM
Hi, although i have alot i could say about the thief on the cross. I just want to comment on david's statement. not only you but alot of people asume that once one has asked for forgiveness,that is nothing more to do. In my experience if you recieve that forgiveness, you will want to be baptised.
Posted by: steve Lorenzo | September 14, 2010 05:43 PM
The thief was saved while the Old Testament was still in effect. He is not an example of salvation under the Gospel at all.
The truth is that the thief was saved under a different law and dispensation than we are under.
Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way,nailing it to the cross.
Posted by: Walter B Fellows | January 23, 2011 05:33 PM
Walter,
Obviously you are expousing some sort of hyper dispensationalism that is foreign to the teaching of the Bible.
The whole point of Paul's teaching in Romans 3 and 4 is to show that justification by faith alone is the biblical gospel and this was the case in both Old and New testaments, exhibit A being Abraham, who believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness.
There are not two gospels.. only one, and justification is by grace alone through faith in Christ alone. Old Testament people were justified by faith in the One to come (which all the types and shadows pointed forward to); New Testamant, through faith in the One who has come, not of works, lest any man should boast.
Posted by: John S | January 23, 2011 06:30 PM