Thief on the Cross: A New Covenant Believer?

[Sam]

Originally Posted by ManOfWord

OK, I'll put in a few cents worth of thought:

When I was a "solid" 3 stepper, I used to say that we can't make a doctrine out of an exception, when it came to the thief on the cross. I now see that God was doing what He always has done, "having mercy on whom He will...."

First off, most Christians believe that the Jews have the same view of salvation that they do. i.e. that salvation takes place at a "point." Perhaps when one decides to become a Jew or at brit milah (circimcision) etc. The Jews didn't and don't have that type of view.

We superimpose our views, so many times, over upon Judaism as if we know what they believe. I am not a scholar when it comes to Judaism, but I have studied it for over 15 yrs. In my study, one thing which shocked me and caused me to do further reading was the fact that the Jews don't and haven't believed that obedience to the law "saves" them or ushers them into the afterlife.

Remember, Judaism came FIRST and is the foundation that everything else is laid upon. No one in the Jewish community would have thought that the thief is finally saved because of the testator viewpoint. They would have thought that the thief was saved because of the mercy of God.

The Jews believed that one followed the law BECAUSE he/she was Jewish not to BECOME a Jew. So, following the "original intent," which is what I believe we should do, one gets baptized etc, BECAUSE they are a Christian not to BECOME one. In other words, they follow the Word not to BECOME a child of God, they do it because that is what a child of God does.

Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep my commandments."

I am not and never have been a proponent of "easy believism." If you are a child of God, you have surrendered your life to Him. If not, it doesn't matter how many times you get baptized or speak in tongues.

No relationship = you're TOAST
Relationship = salvation
Salvation = following Him

Thanks, MOW, for those good words.

You said it better than I could.