Was the salvation of the thief on the cross a last minute salvation?
A couple of days ago, as I was going about my own business, a thought suddenly came to my mind about the thieves on the cross. I kept it in my heart, but I did not do anything about it. Then it so happened that today, brother Ken Souder shared this article on his facebook page, and I was stirred in my spirit because of what had happened to me just a couple of days ago. The article shared by brother Ken is this: Deathbed Conversions — How common are they?
Many people seem to place far too much confidence in the so-called deathbed repentance. They imagine that in one’s last moment a person can think a quick thought about Jesus and be whisked off into heaven. Sadly, as St. Augustine noted long ago, this hardly ever happens. If someone has not been thinking about Christ for 40, 60, or 80 years, usually his last thoughts are not thoughts of Christ but of terror as he plunges into the darkness of death. Likewise, when Christ returns on the clouds of glory surrounded by thousands of angels, it will be too late for unbelievers to find a faith they never had.[1]
Consider the “conversion" of the thief on the cross that churches all over Singapore are teaching to justify their erroneous doctrine of decisionism.
Luke 23:32-33 "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."
The context of this verse was when Jesus Christ was put to death, and he was crucified in a place called Calvary. Together with him was two thieves, one on the left and the other on the right.
Luke 23:39 "¶ And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us."
This verse tells us that one of the two thieves who was with Jesus mocked Jesus, saying, "If thou be Christ, saved thyself and us." In fact, the same words were also echoed by those who petitioned for his death by crucifixion:
Matthew 27:39-40 "¶ And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, 40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross."
"If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross..." These be the very words that, to the end, when they crucified Jesus, they still demanded to see a miracle from God. These men were also joined by the scribes and the Pharisees who mocked Jesus:
Matthew 27:41-42 "Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, 42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him."
The truth is they will never believe in Jesus no matter what. They will never believe in him even if he came down from the cross. The truth is that they have never seen Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, and the King of Israel. Even Judas Iscariot who was with Jesus and saw him healed the sick, opened the eyes of the blind, and raised up the dead by the power of his words have never seen him as the Christ. Jesus told his disciples in:
John 7:7 "The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil..."
They hated Jesus because he testified that their works were evil, and they will not be reproved.
Proverbs 9:8 "Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee."
This verse tells us that the scribes and Pharisees, and all those with them, including the thief on the cross who mocked at Jesus were scornful men in heart.
Likewise, there are also scornful Christians in churches today who will never be reproved by scripture. The painful truth is that these scornful men hated the truth, and because they hated the truth, they will not come to the light, as what the gospel of John plainly tells us:
John 3:18-21 "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."
A scornful man is as what verse 20 tells us i.e. every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. The opposite of a scornful man, according to Proverbs 9:8, is a wise man: "… rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee."
Now let's take a look at the other thief together with Jesus in Calvary. Pay attention to his words:
Luke 23:40 "But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?"
Notice that first and foremost, he openly rebuked the other thief who scorned at Jesus. The Bible tells us in:
Proverbs 27:5-6 "Open rebuke is better than secret love. 6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful."
This thief was not a scorner even though he was a sinner. He rebuked his friend in love. The Bible calls him "faithful" in this passage of Scripture. Furthermore, he feared the LORD:
Proverbs 1:7 "¶ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Proverbs 9:10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding."
Proverbs 14:27 "The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death."
Knowledge of the holy (understanding) is a “fountain of life”. He did not despise wisdom and instruction, as did the other thief who scorned at Jesus along with the scribes and the Pharisees and all the scornful men who petitioned for his crucifixion. He continues in:
Luke 23:41 "And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss."
He recognized himself as a sinner. At the same time, he also recognized that Jesus was without sin, yet, he "fulfilled the judgment of the wicked" (Job 36:17).
Luke 23:42 "And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom."
He even called Jesus "Lord". He knew that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. A sinner which he knew he was, he knew to call upon the name of the Lord. Jesus said in:
John 6:37 "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."
All that cometh to Jesus are all that the Father have given him, and Jesus will in no wise cast out a single repentant sinner. In his words to the thief who called upon his name:
Luke 23:43 "And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise."
So to answer the question:
"Was the salvation of the thief on the cross a last minute salvation?"
While on the surface, it may appear that the thief was saved in the nick of time, but the truth is far from the perceived reality. Therefore, my answer to this question is 'No'. The thief did not suddenly come to the knowledge of salvation, but that he already possessed this knowledge before he met Jesus at the cross. He knew he was a sinner in need of a Saviour, and he knew that Jesus was his Saviour.
Proverbs 15:33 "The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility."
God will honour him, along with all who love the instruction of wisdom and fear the LORD. There is not an "honest and good heart" (Luke 8:15) that God will miss out to save.