Bible teachers beware: the moment you quote Acts 2:38 or Mark 16:16 online, the comment section will be flooded with folks repping the thief on the cross. Apparently, the thief on the cross wasn’t baptized. Therefore, according to many people, we do not have to be baptized today. Or, at least baptism has nothing to do with salvation. Is that true?
In this article, we’re going to study this subject, as well as expose the multitude of assumptions in the assertions, beginning with the premise: People claim that the thief wasn’t baptized, but there’s actually plenty of evidence that suggests he was baptized! Curious? Let’s dig in.
First, in case you’re unaware of the man we’re speaking of, here’s a quick recap. It’s actually a wonderful display of the love and mercy of God—a reminder that only Jesus has the power to save and authority to say who is and who isn’t saved. All four gospel accounts tell us that Jesus was crucified between two criminals. Luke’s account says:
There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.
Luke 23:32–33
Both of the criminals join the crowds in mocking Jesus.
Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.
Matthew 27:44
They were using their final breaths and last words to demean another dying person. Yet, one of those dark hearts turned to the light.
But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
Luke 23:40–43
John 3:16 is likely the most famous verse in the Bible, and for good reason. Let’s not forget the next verse:
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
Jesus was hanging on the cross to pay for innumerable sins. He had been betrayed by His close friend. He was tortured and hung on a cross by dark hearts and unholy hands. On top of the humiliation of being naked and bleeding before strangers, His friends, and even His own mother, these arrogant criminals even thought themselves in a position to put Him down. If there was ever a time for Jesus to break His “neither do I condemn you” streak, it could have been this moment. Yet, at the thief’s repentance, Jesus offers him paradise. What a merciful and loving God we serve!
A few weeks later, Jesus would give His great commission to His apostles.
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”
Mark 16:15–16
Although Jesus, Peter, Paul, and others in the New Testament clearly point to baptism as the moment God saves someone, many people have looked at the crucifixion scene and responded, “The thief on the cross wasn’t baptized, but Jesus saved him. Therefore, we don’t have to be baptized to be saved today.”
After studying this subject closely, no honest Bible student will ever make that claim again.
1. We Cannot Know Whether or Not the Thief on the Cross Was Baptized
Clearly, the thief, in his repentance, did not come down from the cross and be plunged in water in the moment. However, it is possible, and maybe even likely that the thief was baptized before his crucifixion. Where does that reasoning come from? Notice specifically what the thief requested while hanging on the cross next to Jesus.
Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”
Luke 23:42
The unnamed thief was aware that Jesus was ushering in His kingdom. How did he know? The Scriptures don’t say. However, this is what we can know. About three years prior to the crucifixion, Jesus’ first public proclamation was, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). What’s more is that this is the exact same thing His forerunner John was preaching.
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” … Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
Matthew 3:1–2, 5–6
The announcement of the coming kingdom was coupled with the preaching and administration of baptism. All of Jerusalem and all of Judea was aware of what John was doing (baptizing) and what John was preaching (the coming of the kingdom). And, apparently, there were enough people who submitted to this baptism that Matthew could say they were all baptized by John the Baptist.
How is it that this criminal next to Jesus knew enough about Jesus to call Him Lord and to request entrance into this kingdom? Could it be that he was one of the countless multitudes from Jerusalem (where his crucifixion took place) who was baptized by John or even Jesus’ disciples? Maybe. Some have even said probably. But the point is: we do not know.
It is presumptuous to speak where God has not spoken. To say that this thief on the cross was not baptized is a gnostic position—that is, to claim to have special knowledge of something that God has not revealed to the rest of us.
Just like we do not know if the thief was married, if he had children, what he had stolen, or even what his name was, stop saying that the thief was not baptized, because we simply cannot know.
2. The Thief Was In a Position You and I Will Never Be In
In one sense, we are all like this thief. We’ve all railed against Jesus by our words, our actions, or both. We’ve all seen the Savior on the cross and scorned Him. Hopefully, we are also like the thief in that we’ve looked at our ways and begged Him to show mercy and grant us entrance into His kingdom—not based on our own merit, but based on His love and grace.
But it’s also true that the thief lived and died at a time that God shed His light in a unique way—during the incarnation. While Jesus was on the earth, He had “power on earth to forgive sins” (Mark 2:10). The Holy Spirit highlights several times during His earthly ministry where He verbally forgave individuals’ sins. Although He offers the same forgiveness to the entire world today, we understand that He doesn’t physically stand over us in our repentance and say, “Your faith has saved you,” “Your sins are forgiven,” or “Today you will be with Me in paradise.” Instead, we access His words through His Scriptures.
Some, in trying to avoid Jesus’ instructions on baptism, say, “I want to be saved like the thief on the cross.” If so, you’d have to go back in time and live when Jesus was physically on the earth. Beyond that, you may also need the Romans to construct an execution device for you to be nailed to.
Just like we cannot be saved like others in the gospel accounts who received Jesus’ verbal declaration of forgiveness, we too cannot be saved like the thief on the cross, for He was literally dying next to the physical body of the Lord Jesus Christ. That leads us to perhaps the most important fact to consider when studying the salvation of the thief on the cross.
3. The Thief Died Before the Great Commission
A young man came to Jesus and asked, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16). Surprising to many, Jesus did not say, “Believe in the Son of God,” or “Repent and be baptized.” Jesus told this man, “If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments” (Matthew 19:17). There is much to unpack here, including where Jesus takes the conversation, proving that box-checking and commandment keeping by itself is not enough. We won’t get into all of that in this lesson. We will notice this though: Jesus cited the Law of Moses in connection with a relationship to God. Why? During Jesus’ earthly ministry, the Law of Moses was the covenant that was in effect. It wasn’t until after Jesus died that His new covenant became active. Follow this line of reasoning carefully.
And for this reason He [Jesus] is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 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.
Hebrews 9:15–17
Prior to Jesus’ death, the Law of Moses dictated how man came to God. Jesus came to provide a new covenant, fulfilling the promise God made to Abraham—to bless every nation under heaven (not just the direct descendants of Jacob). That covenant He instituted with His blood. Of course, when was Jesus’ blood shed? At His death on the cross. There are many images the Bible uses to describe new covenant baptism. In Colossians 2, it’s described as a circumcision of the heart. In 1 Peter 3, it’s connected to the waters of the flood of Noah’s time. Notice the image the Holy Spirit gives us in Romans 6.
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. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.
Romans 6:3–5
There are many different baptisms mentioned in the New Testament. But only one is commanded of the audience of the gospel of Jesus Christ—the one we just read about in Romans 6. According to the Bible, this baptism unites someone with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. In fact, the other passages that use circumcision and the flood as images of baptism also connect baptism with the resurrection of Jesus.
Buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
Colossians 2:12
There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 3:21
Although Jesus approved of and administered John’s baptism in the beginning of His earthly ministry, it wasn’t until after Jesus’ death and resurrection that He commanded all nations to be baptized like this—in His name for the remission of sins into His death and resurrection. After the thief on the cross died, and after Jesus’ resurrection:
Jesus came and spoke to them [His apostles], saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
Matthew 28:18–19
Yes, some people presumptuously claim the thief on the cross was not baptized. Even if we could say for sure that he wasn’t, that would be completely irrelevant to our situation today. The thief lived before new covenant baptism was commanded of all nations. During the thief’s life, the Law of Moses was in effect, which looked forward to the payment offered by Jesus’ death. We live in a time the thief never did. Now, you and I are commanded to be baptized for the remission of our sins (Acts 2:38) and into the death of Jesus (Romans 6:3–5). How could the thief be baptized into the death of Jesus before the death of Jesus?
After actually studying the Bible, we realize it would be terribly presumptuous to claim the thief on the cross had never been baptized. We now know that the thief was in a position that you and I will never be in. And, most importantly, the Scriptures have taught us that the thief never would have been expected to be baptized into Jesus’ death. But we are. Have you been baptized into Jesus’ death? If you’re ready to look into this further, we’d be happy to study with you. To request a personal Bible study today, click here. Otherwise, if you’d like to study on your own, check out the other studies on this site.