What About the Thief on the Cross?

In Acts 2:38, after preaching the first gospel sermon, and getting to the heart of those who heard, Peter told the people that they needed to repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins. To some, this is simple and straight forward. Baptism is when you receive the remission, or the forgiveness of sins. It is when the blood of Christ cleanses us spiritually. To others, these are fighting words. To believe that baptism is when your sins are forgiven takes away from the amazing work of Jesus on the cross. A major example given by opponents of baptism being for the remission of sin is to say that the thief on the cross was not baptized, therefore we do not have to be. This is a legitimate argument for that belief, and it deserves to be evaluated with scripture.

Luke 23:41-43 – “We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Do we read in this account that the thief was baptized? No. Do we read anything that hints at him never having been baptized previously? Also no. But what can we read from this account? We can read that the thief knew that Jesus was the innocent Messiah and about the kingdom. At the very minimum, the thief had heard preaching either from Jesus directly, or from His disciples. He would not have had absolutely no idea who Jesus was and then professed his belief in Jesus’ innocence or His kingdom while they were being crucified together. Consider the following points to demonstrate why the thief on the cross is not a good argument against baptism being for the remission of sins today.

1. There is more evidence to show he may have very well been baptized.
   1. Mark 1:4-5 “John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.”
   2. There are only two options; either Jesus made Himself known miraculously to the thief, or the thief knew who He was from previous encounters. There is no scriptural evidence to suggest a miraculous revelation, but there is evidence to suggest he knew Jesus from previous encounters. Based on the thief’s statements and confession of Jesus, it is possible he had previously been baptized under John, which was a proper form of baptism during that transition time.
2. He was not under the new covenant, so he could not be baptized like we are, or could even believe like we must.
   1. Hebrews 9:16-18 “For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. Therefore, not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood.”
   2. With an understanding of the covenants and how they operate, we know that the new covenant, that we live under, did not come into effect until Jesus died. Baptism in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, was not preached until after Jesus ascended back into heaven.
   3. Today, our physical act of baptism represents us dying, being buried, and raising up again just as Jesus did. Our belief also must consist of us believing that Jesus rose from the dead. It would have been impossible for the thief to be baptized, or even believe, in the same way we are commanded too because the circumstances were different then.
   4. Romans 6:3-4 “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore, we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
   5. Romans 10:9 “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
3. Jesus had the power to forgive sins since He was still alive on earth.
   1. Mark 2:10 “But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic.”

Putting these thoughts together, to state that the thief on the cross was not baptized for the remission of his sins and so neither do we is an unfair, illogical, and unbiblical argument to make to try and prove that baptism is not required for remission of sins.

-Caleb Westbrook