WAS HE BAPTISED IN WATER?
The condemned criminal that was on the cross with Jesus Christ; was he baptised in water?
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." Luke 23:39-43NIV
The first question in the bible was asked by the devil and having witnessed how questions easily disorganize mankind, all through the ages he has continued to exploit it to confuse people. I don’t mean to say that asking questions is wrong but my point is that we ought to sound the spirit behind the question. Each time a movement will arise to attack the Church of Jesus Christ, they will start by raising doubt about the things we believe and they do this by raising questions. Unfortunately, these questions take the Church unprepared and while Christian leaders are scampering about in their confusion, the enemy has done the intended damage. Our congregants are already confused and attacking their leaders. Many souls have been lost because of this.
One of such questions that has been exploited is to condemn the practice of immersion baptism. The case of the condemned criminal who was crucified alongside the Lord Jesus Christ was used to question the justification of water baptism. The opponents of the Church doctrine of baptism argue that if immersion baptism were that important, why the Lord took the man directly to heaven without asking that he should be baptised first.
Let me first point out that The Lord reserves the sovereign will to take anyone to heaven without following the regular rules. Even in our country’s constitution, it is referred to as exceptions to the rule of law. Not long ago Joe Biden the president of America gave presidential pardon to some convicted criminals, which absorbed them from being punished for the said offences by any court in the USA. In the face of that there are still people serving jail terms for the same crimes. In the same way, the Lord could take anyone to heaven without immersion baptism or any other responsibility as required from Christians.
Having said that, we need to face the question, “Is it possible that the criminal in question was baptised in water?” Yes, if the Lord Himself demanded that believers should be baptised in water when they believed in Him, could it be that the man in question had been baptised? Mark16:15-16
On the surface, we could just say that it was not possible because the three men on the cross that day all died the same day. It was a capital punishment. However, let us allow the bible to answer this question.
The Tone of Familiarity.
There is what I refer to as a tone of familiarity in their discussion; that means that they all knew each other before they met on the cross of Calvary. If we consider the manner the two criminals addressed each other, there is no doubt that they knew each other before that day.
But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve.
It is obvious that they undertook the same criminal venture for which they were being punished and it is possible that they were together in that same crime when they caught. When the second man spoke, the first criminal became silent and it is safe to conclude that his conscience pricked him and we are not told if he was led to repentance.
Let us now concentrate on the second criminal who is our object of discussion.
He said something that suggests that he knew much about God, Jesus Christ and the truth.
But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God,"
For the people of that age and especially among the Jews, this is a very strong word and not many religious people would use that phrase. If the Jewish leaders feared God, they would not have handed Jesus Christ over to be killed in exchange for Barabbas, who was a criminal. If they feared God they would not could up false charges against Him. The fear of God is beyond religion but a thing of purity of heart and devotion to God’s purpose.
Apostle had this to say about himself and his ministry team,
Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 2 Cor 5:11NIV
As it is today, Apostle Paul pointed out that in those days the virtue of the fear of God was not common. Yet, the condemned criminal knew what it is to fear God.
His sense of judgment is another thing; unlike most men then and today, he had a sound sense of fair judgment. He never claimed innocence but accepted his sentence. Unlike the other criminal, he was not going to manipulate the Lord Jesus Christ to free him from his deserved punishment. If the Lord released the unrepentant criminal, he will yet return to crime. However, the good criminal said it was justice for him to die.
He knew Jesus Christ by name and respected His office as one who could save his soul eternally. Take note of the reverence in his tone;
Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
He knew that Jesus Christ was innocent. He might not have known it as then that the Lord was hanging on that cross for his sin and that of the whole world. Someone said that it was not nails that held Jesus Christ on that cross but the love He had for people like that criminal.
He knew that Jesus Christ had a kingdom. Besides the demons and very few of His followers, that knowledge was not common. However, this man knew that Jesus Christ had a kingdom that was not of this earth and he believed in that kingdom and wanted to be part of the kingdom. He asked the Lord to remember when He returned in His kingdom.
He knew and believed that Jesus Christ had the power to take anyone to His kingdom and even a condemned criminal like himself. Therefore, he specifically asked that the Lord should remember him when He returned in His kingdom.
He knew that even though the Lord Jesus Christ hung on the same location with them, death had no power over Him. He was sure that even if the Lord died on that cross, He was going to rise again. This was not a common knowledge then and even today.
He knew and believed that even in death, his soul was safe in the hands of Jesus Christ and he did all he could to establish a transaction in that regard.
All these point to one thing, this man was a believer in Jesus Christ who fell away and back to his former sins. He was among those who at one time stopped following the Lord.
From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. John 6:66NIV
If this man was among the early converts of the Lord Jesus Christ, there is no reason to doubt that he was baptised.
The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. John 4:1-2NIV
There was nothing like baptismal classes then and the bible was clear about that.
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day Acts 2:41NIV
Since he met all the requirements for baptism,
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Rom 10:9-10NIV
In conclusion, it is safer to follow bible evidence and doctrine than the opinion of men whose only interest is to destabilize the Body of Christ. Like I mentioned earlier, the Lord had the absolute power to take whomever He wished directly to heaven, but all the indicators from scripture show that, before their meeting on the cross of Calvary, this brother was already a believer in Jesus Christ who fell away from faith.
We have a similar instance in the case of Peter; before they met in Luke Chapter 5:1-5, they had met in John1:41.
To know more about the doctrine of baptism you can ask for my books, BAPTISM AS A TOOL FOR TOTAL DELIVERANCE, and
DIVINE REVELATION AND POWER OF WATER BAPTISM
They are available as soft copy PDF on PNUR Bookstore. +2349092862555, +2348035724526
school4deliverance@gmail.com
Emma your brother pnurnigeria@gmail.com
