Why did the thief on the cross not have to be baptized?

Baptism is a glorious picture of what Christ has done for us. Why wasn’t the thief on the cross baptized? Jesus hadn’t died yet and the Christian gospel had yet to be proclaimed. The thief was saved under the Old Covenant, just as Elijah and Moses were saved under the Old Covenant — without baptism.

Why did the thief on the cross go to heaven?

Hence to place, the thief went up with Christ to heaven, that he might be with Christ, as it was said to him: “Thou shalt be with Me in Paradise”; but as to reward, he was in Paradise, for he there tasted and enjoyed the divinity of Christ, together with the other saints.

Did people in the Old Testament get saved?

All the saved and holy people of the Old Testament fully trusted God, as Hebrews 11 teaches. God revealed the Gospel to, for example, Abraham with the promise that all peoples of earth would be blessed through following his example of trusting God’s promise and being justified by repentant faith.

Who spread Christianity in Africa?

In the 15th century Christianity came to Sub-Saharan Africa with the arrival of the Portuguese. In the South of the continent the Dutch founded the beginnings of the Dutch Reform Church in 1652.

Is it proper to use the thief to prove salvation?

No, and likewise it is not proper to use the thief to prove people today can be saved without baptism. The point is that the thief was saved before the terms of the gospel came into effect. So we cannot use his case to prove one way or the other what people must do today to be saved. 3.

Was the thief saved without baptism?

When the subject is discussed, people commonly bring up the thief as someone who was saved without baptism. They conclude that if Jesus would save this man without baptism, He would also save us without baptism. Let us consider further. What does this case teach us about the terms of forgiveness under the gospel?

How was the thief on the cross saved?

First, the thief on the cross was saved because Jesus spoke his sins forgiven (Luke 23:43). Jesus had power while on earth to remit sins (Matthew 9:1-8). Second, it cannot be proven that the thief had not been baptized.

Was the thief taught at an earlier time?

This was John the Baptist’s message from the beginning of his work ( Matthew 3:2 ). Thus, there is some evidence to suggest the thief had been taught at an earlier time. Paul said a man who received the baptism of John was to believe on Him who was to come after, that is, on Jesus ( Acts 19:4 ). The thief certainly did this.