"The Thief on the Cross" Is a Bad Argument

Frequently trotted out in an attempt to rebut baptismal efficacy (particularly the stronger Lutheran and Roman flavors), this vingette proves to be a very weak rejoinder.

The entire situation takes place  before Christ instituted the sacrament of Christian Baptism in the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:16), so his lack of baptism proves nothing more than Jeremiah's lack of baptism.

Anachronism aside, Protestants have always held that sacramental efficacy is not derived ex opere operato but by God's Word and Covenant united with the water. Yet Jesus gave the very same word He gives to us in baptism to the thief on the cross: "Today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43).

Thirdly, in didactic contexts, both Peter (1 Pet. 3:21) and Paul (Titus 3:5) clearly teach baptism saves. The narrative is not necessarily normative.

Finally, just because we confess with St. Peter that baptism now saves us, we do not deny that we are saved by faith (Eph. 2:8). Nor do we deny being saved by repentance (2 Cor. 7:10). Rather than pitting Scripture against itself, we ought to follow the same St. Peter in linking them: "Repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins" (Acts 2:38).

Great talk, especially for women who struggle to understand male detachment from feminized churches.

https://youtu.be/ixnhkltjeTA?si=Nsp4LhHwNVoYTuSU

A blessed "Presbyterian Revolt" day to you all. May we reflect on the Fifth Commandment and thank God for the kindness He still mercifully shows this country for our forefathers' faithfulness.

We pray for those in authority, that they may come to a knowledge of the truth and obey the law-word of God.

May we begin to live in such a way as to beget similar blessings to our own offspring and descendants.

It is rare to find a preacher who will condemn the sins of the age and the wider culture.

It is even more rare to find a preacher who will condemn the sins of the church.

Yet "judgement begins with the household of God," and Jesus directed His rebukes not to the Gentiles but to faithless Israelites.

The Kingdom of God (Revelation 11:15-19)

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,

The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.

And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying,

We give thanks to thee, Lord God Almighty, who art and who wast, that thou hast taken thy great power and begun to reign. The nations raged, but thy wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, for rewarding thy servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear thy name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.

Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, loud noises, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

If you send your kids to public school, I'm not saying you're necessarily sinning, but the chances are really high you're sinning big time.