3 Men Crucified - 1 Died in Sin, 1 Died to sin & 1 Died FOR Sin
Luke 23:32-47 And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put
to death. 33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary,
there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the
other on the left. 34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not
what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. 35 And the people stood
beholding. And the rulers also with them derided [him], saying, He saved others;
let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. 36 And the soldiers also
mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, 37 And saying, If thou be
the king of the Jews, save thyself. 38 And a superscription also was written over
him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou
be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying,
Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we
indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done
nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest
into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt
thou be with me in paradise. 44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a
darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45 And the sun was darkened,
and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. 46 And when Jesus had cried
with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having
said thus, he gave up the ghost. 47 Now when the centurion saw what was done,
he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.
Let’s look into the heart on the matter
Luke 23:39-42 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him,
saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked
him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man
hath done nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when
thou comest into thy kingdom.
(1) What makes you think he wasn’t baptized? Who said he wasn’t baptized?
Have any of you ever known a back-slider?
Again what makes you think he wasn’t baptized cf:
How in God’s name from those verses can you derive the authority to belittle,
mock, scorn and assure unbelievers they don’t need Christian baptism?
How could he have been baptized you say?
Mark 1:4-5 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of
repentance for the remission of sins. 5 And there went out unto him all the land
of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of
Jordan, confessing their sins.
Luke 7:29-30 29 And all the people that heard [him], and the publicans, justified
God, being baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and lawyers
rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.
Matthew 21:24 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one
thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these
things. 25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they
reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto
us, Why did ye not then believe him? 26 But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the
people; for all hold John as a prophet. 27 And they answered Jesus, and said, We
cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these
things. 28 But what think ye? A [certain] man had two sons; and he came to the
first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. 29 He answered and said, I
will not: but afterward he repented, and went. 30 And he came to the second, and
said likewise. And he answered and said, I [go], sir: and went not. 31 Whether of
them twain did the will of [his] father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith
unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the
kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came unto you in the way of
righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots
believed him: and ye, when ye had seen [it], repented not afterward, that ye might
believe him.
John 4: 1-2 When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that
Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, 2 (Though Jesus himself
baptized not, but his disciples,)
If the pre-cross baptism of John was that important how about the after the cross
Great commission and the fact the first Gospel sermon in Acts 2 commands
baptism.
(2) How did he know Jesus was sinless if he knew not John the Baptist, Jesus,
the 12 or the 70?
Luke 23:41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but
this man hath done nothing amiss.
Hebrews 4: 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the
feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet]
without sin.
(3) If the Thief on the cross had not been taught about Jesus before how did he
know Jesus was Lord? This is the most sacred title to the Jews a word they
would not even write or pronounce but substituted YHWY without vowels. Peter
said in the first Gospel sermon Cf:
Acts 2: 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath
made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
(4) If the thief on the cross had not been taught about Jesus how did he know
about the coming Kingdom of God?
Matthew 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of
Judaea, 2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Luke 10:1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent
them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself
would come. …
Luke 10:9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of
God is come nigh unto you.
(5) Under what dispensation did the thief on the cross die?
The thief on the cross died under the Law of Moses?
Was baptism for the remission of sins a law or ordinance under the Old
Testament Law? No.
Had Jesus died yet when he said: “ this day thou shalt be with me in paradise”?
Colossians 2:13-14 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of
your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all
trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us,
which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Hebrews 9:16-17 For where a testament [is], there must also of necessity be the
death of the testator. 17 For a testament [is] of force after men are dead:
otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth
Baptism for the remission of sins was not yet an ordinance under the law of
Moses … only ritualistic washings for the priesthood and the people cleansing
from some impurity.
Immersion was required to enter the temple mount.
Christ had not yet died for our sins the perfect sacrifice when He pardoned him
such as the pardoning of the sinful woman.
Here are some examples of Jesus forgiving sins under the Law of Moses
Luke 7:37-38 & 47-49 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when
she knew that [Jesus] sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster
box of ointment, 38 And stood at his feet behind [him] weeping, and began to
wash his feet with tears, and did wipe [them] with the hairs of her head, and
kissed his feet, and anointed [them] with the ointment. …
Luke 7:47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for
she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, [the same] loveth little. 48 And he
said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. 49 And they that sat at meat with him began
to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 50 And he said to
the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.
Another example is the man sick with the palsy
Matthew 9:2-7 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a
bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good
cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. 3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within
themselves, This [man] blasphemeth. 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said,
Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?5 For whether is easier, to say, [Thy] sins
be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? 6 But that ye may know that the Son
of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the
palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. 7 And he arose, and
departed to his house.
(6) The Thief on the cross could not obey the Great Commission that is not yet
given. It will be at least 43 more days before the great commission is given
But you can obey the Great Commission cf:
Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is
given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:2
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and,
lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.
Mark 16:15-20 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the
gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but
he that believeth not shall be damned …19 So then after the Lord had spoken
unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.20
And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with [them],
and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Luke 24:44-49 And he said unto them, These [are] the words which I spake unto
you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written
in the law of Moses, and [in] the prophets, and [in] the psalms, concerning me. 45
Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and
to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins
should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48
And ye are witnesses of these things. 49 And, behold, I send the promise of my
Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with
power from on high.
Acts 2:37-39 Now when they heard [this], they were pricked in their heart, and
said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men [and] brethren, what shall we
do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in
the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of
the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all
that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Mark 16:16 Jesus Said: he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, he that
believeth not shall be damned Mark 16:16
Our Catholic friends who practice infant baptism teach: he that is baptized and is
saved shall one day when he grows up believe.
Our Baptist friends teach: he that believeth and is saved should be baptized.
Universalists teach: he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that
believeth not, shall be saved also.
(7) The preponderance of the evidence in the Book of Acts which is the History of
the early Church and the first Christians shows the importance of baptism
Beware of the scripture twisters and spell-binders.
Read Acts 2:1-47 and understand the new covenant which was preached the day
the Kingdom came into being and the Church of Christ began cf: Romans 16:16.
Baptism and believe are words that are often used as a syn·ec·do·che which is a
figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa:
as in Cleveland won by six runs (meaning “Cleveland's baseball team”).
I like your wheels man, … meaning I like your car.
I’m just working to put a roof over my head meaning a whole house.
Acts 2:37-39 Now when they heard [this], they were pricked in their heart, and
said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men [and] brethren, what shall we
do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in
the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of
the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all
that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Acts 8:5-6 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto
them. 6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip
spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. …
Acts 8:12-13 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the
kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and
women. 13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he
continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which
were done.
Acts 8:26-39 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go
toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which
is desert. 27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of
great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all
her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, 28 Was returning, and
sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip,
Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. 30 And Philip ran thither to [him], and
heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou
readest? 31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he
desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. 32 The place of the
scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like
a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: 33 In his humiliation
his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is
taken from the earth. 34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of
whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? 35 Then
Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him
Jesus. 36 And as they went on [their] way, they came unto a certain water: and
the eunuch said, See, [here is] water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37 And
Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered
and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38 And he commanded the
chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the
eunuch; and he baptized him. 39 And when they were come up out of the water,
the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and
he went on his way rejoicing.
Acts 9: 3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there
shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard
a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who
art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: [it is] hard
for thee to kick against the pricks. 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord,
what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord [said] unto him, Arise, and go into the
city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 7 And the men which journeyed
with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. 8 And Saul arose
from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him
by the hand, and brought [him] into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without
sight, and neither did eat nor drink. 10 And there was a certain disciple at
Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he
said, Behold, I [am here], Lord. 11 And the Lord [said] unto him, Arise, and go into
the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for [one]
called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, 12 And hath seen in a vision a man
named Ananias coming in, and putting [his] hand on him, that he might receive
his sight. 13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how
much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: 14 And here he hath authority
from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. 15 But the Lord said unto
him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the
Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will shew him how great
things he must suffer for my name's sake. 17 And Ananias went his way, and
entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord,
[even] Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me,
that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. 18 And
immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight
forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
People today say: “Just “believe” and you are saved”.
Others say you gotta pray your way through: “just say the sinners prayer”
Where did that idea come from? It came from men like: Eleazar Wheelock,
Charles Finney, Dwight Moody and Billy Sunday all wanted to make “the salvation
experience easier so more people can be saved” These men were followed by
Billy Graham. Jesus said:
Matthew 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the
commandments of men.
Did Paul believe? He called Jesus Lord in V:5 and Jesus told him He was Jesus.
Did Paul try to pray his way through. Yes, he added fasting to praying.
Acts 9:9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.
Acts 9:11 And the Lord [said] unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is
called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for [one] called Saul, of Tarsus:
for, behold, he prayeth,
He had prayed for 3 days was he saved? Can you be saved with your sins?
In Paul’s own account he says the prophet told him he still had his sins cf:
Acts 22:13-16 Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive
thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him. 14 And he said, The God of our
fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just
One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. 15 For thou shalt be his witness
unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. 16 And now why tarriest thou?
arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened [his] mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God
is no respecter of persons: … (Peter then preaches the Gospel to them)
Acts 10:44-48 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them
which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were
astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was
poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues,
and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 47 Can any man forbid water, that these
should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 48
And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed
they him to tarry certain days.
Acts 16:14-15 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of
Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard [us]: whose heart the Lord opened, that
she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. 15 And when she was
baptized, and her household, she besought [us], saying, If ye have judged me to
be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide [there]. And she
constrained us.
Acts 16:25-33 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God:
and the prisoners heard them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so
that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors
were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison
awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his
sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all
here. 29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell
down before Paul and Silas, 30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I
do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou
shalt be saved, and thy house. 32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord,
and to all that were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night,
and washed [their] stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
Acts 18:1& 7-8 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to
Corinth; …
7 And he departed thence, and entered into a certain [man's] house, named
Justus, [one] that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.
8 And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his
house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.
Acts 19:1-5 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having
passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And
they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy
Ghost.3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said,
Unto John's baptism.4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of
repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should
come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5 When they heard [this], they were
baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
