Luke 23:39-43, “And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
The Biblical account of a repentant thief being crucified alongside our dear Savior provides us with irrefutable evidence how to be saved. In our text Scripture passage from Luke 23:39-43, we clearly see what repentance is. The repentant thief realized that he was a sinner, and that he was justly being punished according to law for the crime(s) he had committed, and he acknowledged his sinnership. Repentance unto salvation is “a change of mind.”
Romans 3:19, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” God's law in the Old Testament was given as a measuring stick, by which when compared we fall short, plainly showing us our SINNERSHIP. Galatians 3:25-26, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” The purpose of God's Law is to show us our need for the Savior. The repentant thief on the cross saw his need, and he believed on the dear Savior.
Whereas we see one thief on the cross still defiant against God (he said, “If thou be the Christ”), the other thief asked Jesus to remember him, which plainly evidences his faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus is THE WAY of salvation! John 20:31, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” The thief on the cross repented and believed to be saved, that is, he acknowledged his sinnership in the eyes of God the Father and placed his faith in Jesus as the Christ.
Please notice that there was no way for the saved thief to be water baptized, not partake of Holy Communion. By the way, there's no such terms in the Bible as “HOLY Baptism” or “HOLY Communion.” Jesus instituted the two simple ordinances of Believer's Baptism and the Lord's Supper during His earthly life and ministry, as functions of discipleship (and not sonship). Getting water baptized is a believers first step of obedience as a new convert, which is the public profession of their faith. Water baptism manifests outwardly what has happened inwardly in the believer's heart, demonstrating their faith in Christ's death, burial and resurrection. Amen!
