Icon depicting The Lord Jesus bringing the Repentant Thief to Paradise
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 :)
Fr. Abe, CRS
said...
[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.
No comments:
Post a Comment