THE THIEF ON THE CROSS     

by Dillard Thurman Charting the Old Paths

                  101

The most popular thief the world has known is that malefactor that died on the cross by the side of Jesus! Though there is nothing in his life which would commend him in our society, yet he has been glorified by untold millions who desire to be justified by following him! He epitomizes all that is yearned for in the lives of those who want to be saved in open disobedience to the terms of salvation stipulated by Jesus. And when such a one is confronted with the irrefutable terms set forth by Christ in Mark 16: 16, he who has been cunningly instructed in the wiles of sectarian "dodges" will seek to hide behind the thief on the cross! Yes, he always remembers that "the thief was saved without baptism, and I can be also; " but seldom will such a one remember that two thieves hung there!

Both Thieves Reviled Him

In our present study, it is not our purpose to show that "The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth" as did the throng which reviled and mocked Him (Matt. 27: 39-44). And we could introduce into evidence this passage: "Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save. Let Christ the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him. " (Mark 15: 31-32). And from such evidence we could assert that both the thieves reviled and mocked Him, casting the same in His teeth! We could point out that the two thieves seem to take up the chant used by the chief priests and scribes deriding Him with mockery of His kingship and His claims of divinity! For how could a thief have had evidence which His disciples lacked? And they were turning from Him in lack of faith! Yet they had heard His teaching concerning that kingdom for three years! The thieves had not! Is it likely a malefactor would have better insight than the disciples?

But in this present study we want to find out if the thief on the cross could be classed as an example of "New Testament conversion. " For, if we are to "rightly divide the word of God, " we must ascertain if the two thieves lived and died under the dispensation of law which governs us today, or if they lived and died before Christ's Will and Testament was probated and became effective. If the thief lived and died under the Law of Moses, he was not amenable to the gospel terms of salvation as proclaimed by the apostles!

A New Covenant Promised

One of the plainest promises to be found in all the Old Testament was that a new dispensation would be given to govern man after the Law of Moses had served its people. For God made promise: "Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah... this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be

THE THIEF ON THE CROSS

my people. " (Jer. 31: 31-33). This Old Testament prophecy was quoted by the writer of Hebrews to show why the New Testament was brought in to replace the Law. But the Law of Moses was not to pass until Christ had fulfilled it (Matt. 5: 17). Paul elaborates even more: "But when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law. " (Gal. 4: 4-5). Therefore, we would conclude that the Law of Moses was still in effect at the time of Christ's death on the cross. So, the two thieves both lived and died under that law — not subject to the Will or Testament of Jesus Christ.

The Thieves Died Under the Law

Paul uses the first part of Romans, chapter 7, to show that the Law had been removed. In verses 4 to 6 he wrote: "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God... But now ye are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein ye were held; that we should serve in the newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. " But whereas the Christian is separated from the Law of Moses by the body of Christ, that Law was still operative when Jesus died, along with the two thieves! Their state is shown in these words: "But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterward be revealed. " (Gal. 3: 23). The two Jewish thieves were to die beside Jesus while still "shut up" under that Law! So, they could not have been saved by the terms of gospel obedience.

The Law Was Nailed to the Cross

The Law of Moses was still in effect when Jesus died, for it was to be taken away by His death. Christ offered forgiveness only by "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinance which was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. " (Col. 2: 14). Too, notice how Paul speaks of this in Eph. 2: 13-16—"But now, in Christ Jesus, ye who were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby. " Yes, Jesus Christ died to break down the middle wall — the Law of Moses which was a wall between Jew and Gentile! He abolished that Law in His body on the cross, so it could not have expired before that time!

Ambulatory Right of the Testator

One of the characteristics of a will is that the testator can ignore his will and testament while he is still alive, and disburse his possessions as he pleases. These ambulatory rights remain his as long

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as he lives. But after his death, all who would inherit in his will and testament must meet every codicil. So it was with Jesus Christ! While alive in the flesh, He could give eternal life to any according to His own desire! So He said of His disciples, "And I give unto them eternal life. " (Jno. 10: 23). While in His personal ministry Jesus Christ claimed and demonstrated power to forgive sins (Jno. 2: 10-11). But Christ alone had that power — and no man possesses that power today! So after His death any who would be an heir must comply with His Will and Testament! Now the thief on the cross could not have been an heir of his will, for it was not in effect: "For where a testament is, there must of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength while the testator liveth. " (Heb. 9: 16-17). Thus Jesus Christ nailed the Law to the cross that we might have His Will and Testament in its stead. "He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Christ once for all. " (Heb. 10: 9-10). So it is foolish to argue that the thief could inherit by a Will and Testament while the Testator was alive!

But while all the furor is raised over the point that the thief was not baptized, it is really a groundless assertion! This backsliding Jew could have been one of those baptized by John (read carefully Mark 1: 4-5; and Luke 7: 29-30). Since it is their assertion, the burden of proof is on them to prove he was not baptized! At least, a lot of Scripture will be wrested before they have evidence he was not one who received John's baptism! Yet, this is still not the crux of the matter, for it has been pointed out that this thief died before Christ's Will became effective.

Preparation for the New Covenant

Not only did Old Testament prophecy promise a new covenant, but the time, place and persons to be associated with this new covenant was pointed out. From Isa. 2: 2-3, we find the "last days" defined the time; "from Jerusalem" placed the beginning; and "all nations" would flow unto it! When you enter the gospel records of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John you find preparation being made for the kingdom, with John preaching, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand. " After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Peter showed it was to the end that He would sit on David's throne, and He was preached as risen Lord (Acts 2: 29-36). For the first time men were given the terms of Christ's final Will and Testament (Acts 2: 37-41). Paul wrote of the transition effected in the words: "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. " (Gal. 3: 24-27). This relationship was not even possible during the lifetime of the thief that died on the cross!

THE THIEF ON THE CROSS

The Purpose Served by the Law

When one fully understands the purpose of the Law of Moses, he can more easily see just where the Law was to expire. "Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions until the seed should come to whom the promise was made. " (Gal. 3: 19). "And that seed is Christ. " (Gal. 3: 16). So the Law of Moses was to pass and the new covenant was to replace it. But we must now inherit by the terms of that Testament which Christ gave us. "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. " (Gal. 3: 29). The thief could not have inherited under the terms of this Testament, for he died before it was executed! We must now subscribe to the terms of the will to be saved. "Though he were a Son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. " (Heb. 5: 8-9). And the fate of those who do not obey the terms of the will is shown: "And to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. " (2 Thes. 1: 7-9). To be an heir of Christ's blessings you must become obedient to the terms of His Testament!

The New Testament Regulates the Inheritance There was a definite need for the Law under which the thief died to be taken away: "For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh to God. " (Heb. 7: 18-19). We therefore do not live under the same religious age as the thief that died on the cross beside our Lord! "He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. " (Heb. 10: 9-10). It is by the Will of Christ, or His New Testament, that we are sanctified, and not by the Law of Moses. "God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons... And if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. " (Gal. 4: 4-7). We, today, live under this new Will and Testament.

It must be fully accepted that the New Will and Testament regulates the inheritance which Christ has to bestow. Therefore we look to those examples in this new covenant to find how we can become heirs. Rather than follow a thief who died in another age, let us carefully read how people were saved by the gospel and became New Testament Christians! May we cite you to Acts 2: 36-41; and 8: 35-39.