Icon depicting The Lord Jesus bringing the Repentant Thief to Paradise
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Lk 23:40-43 The other one, however, rebuked him, saying, "Don't you fear
God? You received the same sentence he did. Ours, however, is only
right, because we are getting what we deserve for what we did; but he
has done no wrong." And he said to Jesus, "Remember me, Jesus, when you
come as King!" Jesus said to him, "I promise you that today you will be
in Paradise with me."
Hello.. Fr.Abe, I have a question.. just out of curiosity. :) How did the thief go to paradise with Jesus when he hasn't done good works? The only thing I can think of was he has done good works even before he accepted Jesus..but is that enough?
and sorry I thought of another question.. how much good works is enough? since he was a thief, I can only assume that he was a sinner, especially since he reached crucifixion .. he would've created such a very big offense..
and just a thought.. I really think that thief was a lucky person.. he met Jesus and talked to him, and he was the 1st person in heaven through Jesus, that would have been a great celebration in heaven since Jesus came back and he was just in time for it!
I look forward at hearing your answer :)
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Fr. Abe, CRS said...
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[Hello.. Fr.Abe, I have a question.. just out of curiosity. :) How did
the thief go to paradise with Jesus when he hasn't done good works? The
only thing I can think of was he has done good works even before he
accepted Jesus..but is that enough?]
HA HA HA... YOU DIDN'T READ THE POST ABOVE. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY. ST. PAUL STATED THAT SALVATION IS BY CONFESSING THE LORD AND BY BELIEVING. IT IS NOT FAITH ALONE BUT BY CONFESSING [ACTION] or PROCLAIMING JESUS TO OTHERS BY MOUTH... YEAH, BY MOUTH, THAT IS WHY IT IS ACTION. AND BY BELIEVING. HE HE HE...
NOW, IS IT TRUE THAT THE GOOD THIEF DIDN'T DO GOOD WORKS? NO, NO, NO... HE DID GOOD WORKS. WHAT ARE THOSE GOOD WORKS:
1. HE CONFESSED BY MOUTH THAT JESUS IS LORD AND KING. HE ACKNOWLEDGED JESUS BEFORE MEN. THAT IS BEARING TESTIMONY TO JESUS.
2. HE ADMITTED HIS FAULTS AND HE WAS SORRY FOR IT.
3. HE PRAYED TO JESUS.
4. HE DECLARED JESUS' INNOCENCE.
5. HE CORRECTED THE BLASPHEMY OF HIS COMPANION THIEF.
SEE, ONLY BLIND WILL SAY THAT HE DID NOT DO GOOD WORKS WHILE ON THE CROSS. HE DID A LOT OF GOOD WORKS THERE. HE WAS TALKING GOOD THINGS IN FAVOR OF THE LORD JESUS. HE WAS REPENTANT.
[and sorry I thought of another question.. how much good works is enough? since he was a thief, I can only assume that he was a sinner, especially since he reached crucifixion .. he would've created such a very big offense..]
IT IS THE LORD GOD WHO IS THE ONLY LORD AND SAVIOR AND THE SUPREME JUDGE OF SINNERS SO IT IS GOD WHO WILL THE SAY HOW MUCH GOOD WORKS IS ENOUGH. THAT QUESTION MUST BE ADDRESSED TO THE SUPREME JUDGE OF ALL THE LIVING AND THE DEAD, NOT TO ME.
HOW ABOUT IN FAITH ALONE? HOW CAN THE PROTESTANTS AND THE BORN AGAIN DETERMINE IF THE FAITH IS REAL, GENUINE OR SINCERE OR ENOUGH FOR SALVATION? LOOK AT JIMMY SWAGGART, THE FAMOUS BORN AGAIN PREACHER DURING THE 80's. HE CLAIMED THAT MOTHER TERESA WILL NOT GO TO HEAVEN EVEN IF SHE WAS FEEDING THE HUNGRY AND TAKING GOOD CARE OF THE THOUSANDS OF LEPROUS AND ORPHANS BECAUSE SHE IS NOT BORN AGAIN. WHILE SWAGGART CLAIMED THAT HE AND HIS FOLLOWERS ARE SAVED ALREADY. THEN THAT BORN AGAIN BASTARD WAS FOUND TO BE HIRING A PROSTITUTE REGULARLY FOR SEXUAL SERVICE. HA HA HA... SO, WAS HE REALLY SAVED? WHEN HE MADE HIS ALTAR CALL WAS JIMMY SWAGGART SAVED ALREADY? AND WHEN HE WAS FORNICATING WITH HIS HIRED PROSTITUTE WAS HE SAVED THEN?
BUT, GOOD WORKS MUST NOT BE REMOVED WITH FAITH AS CRITERIA FOR SALVATION. REMEMBER, ABRAHAM WAS JUSTIFIED BY WORKS AND NOT BY FAITH ONLY:
James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. -
[and just a thought.. I really think that thief was a lucky person.. he met Jesus and talked to him, and he was the 1st person in heaven through Jesus, that would have been a great celebration in heaven since Jesus came back and he was just in time for it!]
HA HA HA... YOU SOUND LIKE A FENG SHUI MASTER, LOOKING AT IT AS LUCK. HA HA HA...
IN ORDER TO REPENT AND BE SORRY FOR ONE'S SIN IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO MEET JESUS DURING HIS LIFETIME HERE ON EARTH. SINNERS CAN ALWAYS REPENT AND CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD. THE NEXT GENERATION OF CHRISTIANS REPENTED AND BECAME BELIEVERS NOT THROUGH THE PRESENCE OF THE HISTORICAL JESUS BUT THROUGH THE MINISTERS OF THE CHURCH SENT BY JESUS:
Act 2:37 When the people heard this, they were deeply troubled and said to Peter and the other apostles, "What shall we do, brothers?"
Act 2:38 Peter said to them, "Each one of you must turn away from your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be forgiven; and you will receive God's gift, the Holy Spirit.
Act 2:39 For God's promise was made to you and your children, and to all who are far away---all whom the Lord our God calls to himself."
Act 2:40 Peter made his appeal to them and with many other words he urged them, saying, "Save yourselves from the punishment coming on this wicked people!"
Act 2:41 Many of them believed his message and were baptized, and about three thousand people were added to the group that day.
IF YOU WILL THINK THAT WAY THEN YOU ARE ONE VERY VERY UNLUCKY GUY BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT MET THE LORD JESUS ON THE CROSS.
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![ST. JEROME EMILIANI [1486-1537]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6dKQTchkJaA/R0lo013dyBI/AAAAAAAAB_4/XzUAPDESwwQ/s1600/St.+Jerome+in+prayer,+small_1.jpg)
thanks for answering the question :)
ReplyDeleteno, what i meant was he was lucky because he met Jesus and talked to him.. imagine, out of all the days to be crucified he was scheduled with Jesus! not saying that you need to meet Jesus to be saved..
and then he was right on time with the amazing celebration in heaven!
I think he's a very lucky person! OR in better wording.. God definitely had an amazing plan for that man!
I think in faith alone, they kept saying that if your faith is sincere, then doing good works won't be a problem because it will come out naturally... so if you believe in Jesus, you will be doing good works since you love God already and would rather do good to make Him happy, than do bad, knowing that God will get disappointed.. I think their focus is doing good works should not be done for the purpose of going to heaven, but rather doing good works should be done, because you Love Jesus, and because you love his creations and you want to bless others with what God has blessed you!
i really think that man you gave an example of is an example of a person who was blinded by what he thought was true faith in the Lord.. because if he truly had faith, then he wouldn't have done such sin in the first place. I also think that saying Mother Teresa won't go to heaven is really absurd.. she was definitely an example of a person with true faith, who gave her life to the Lord.. you can really see that Mother teresa's works were not of selfish desires.. she did it because she loved God so much! I can say that that is true faith right there!
Correct me if I'm wrong though.. but wasn't Abraham judged by his works because Jesus hasn't died for sin yet? maybe I'm wrong, but that's only how I understood it.. that before Jesus, it was through works.. and then when Jesus came and died, works was sent to the background and the focus was now on having faith in him..
anyway thank you for answering the question! AND thank you for giving my question a separate post!
YOU ARE WELCOME.
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR IDEAS WITH US.
IN THE CASE OF TELEVANGELIST JIMMY SWAGGART MOST PROBABLY HE WAS STRONG IN FAITH WHEN HE ACCEPTED JESUS. BUT, LATER HIS FAITH WAS WEAKENED BECAUSE HE GAVE IN TO EVIL DESIRES AND TEMPTATIONS OF THE FLESH. THE POINT HERE IS THAT HOW CAN WE KNOW IF THE FAITH IS REAL OR NOT? BY LOOKING AT HIS ACTIONS. THE FAITH IS FAKE IF NOT ACCOMPANIED BY TRUE LOVE OF GOD AND NEIGHBOR. THIS IS WHAT ST. PAUL SAYS IN 1 COR 13:2 "EVEN IF I HAVE FAITH SO GREAT SO THAT I CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS BUT DO NOT HAVE LOVE I AM NOTHING." THUS, IT MUST NOT BE FAITH ALONE BUT FAIH, HOPE AND LOVE. AND THE GREATEST IS LOVE. FAITH THEN MUST BE MANIFESTED IN ACTIONS. THAT IS WHY IT IS FAITH AND GOOD WORKS.
IN CASE OF ABRAHAM, THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS IS CATEGORICAL THAT ABRAHAM WAS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH:
Rom 4:3 The scripture says, "Abraham believed God, and because of his faith God accepted him as righteous."
WHAT FAITH IS THIS: FAITH IN GOD THE FATHER. BECAUSE THERE WAS NO INCARNATION OF JESUS YET THAT TIME. SO, FAITH WAS STILL A REQUIREMENT FOR JUSTIFICATION IN THE OLD TESTAMENT PERIOD.
HE WAS ALSO JUSTIFIED BY HIS GOOD WORKS:
Jas 2:21 How was our ancestor Abraham put right with God? It was through his actions, when he offered his son Isaac on the altar.
SO, HE WAS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH AND GOOD WORKS. NOT FAITH ALONE AND NOT WORKS ALONE. BUT COMBINED.
Thank you.. I guess the best conclusion is (at least for me): Good works may or may not be required to have salvation.. but it is surely expected of us by God.
ReplyDeleteTHAT IS NOT THE BEST CONCLUSION. THE LORD TEACHES THAT GOOD WORKS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE SALVATION:
ReplyDeleteMat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
SO, DOING THE WILL OF THE FATHER IS A MUST. IT IS NECESSARY FOR SALVATION.
It's understandable that the only good works the good thief did were his confessing and proclaiming Jesus to others by mouth because his hands and feet were crucified. We, including the born-agains, are not crucified. Our feet and hands are free, therefore, we are expected to do good works more than proclaiming Jesus by mouth.
ReplyDelete[It's understandable that the only good works the good thief did were his confessing and proclaiming Jesus to others by mouth because his hands and feet were crucified. We, including the born-agains, are not crucified. Our feet and hands are free, therefore, we are expected to do good works more than proclaiming Jesus by mouth.]
ReplyDeleteWELL SAID, ANONYMOUS. WE MUST NOT CONTINUE THE CLAIM THAT THE REPENTANT THIEF DID NOTHING. HE DID SOMETHING. AND EVEN THOUGH HE DID JUST THAT HIS CASE IS NOT APPLICABLE TO ALL OF US BECAUSE WE ARE NOT HANGING ON THE CROSS AS HE DID THEN. GOD IS ASKING US TO BELIEVE BUT HE IS ALSO COMMANDING US TO DO GOOD WORKS.
Nice post, anonymous. Don't be afraid to post your name because you're trying to always side with the truth. No need to fear when you're with the TRUTH.
ReplyDeleteAt siempre, Salamat sa Diyos! Napakagagandang sagot ang binitawan ni Father Abe para sa Diyos, para sa Katotohanan.