Does the Thief on the Cross prove Baptism is not necessary?

The thief on the cross who was told he would be in paradise is often used as an example by those who say that baptism isn’t necessary for salvation. They argue that he was saved without being baptized, therefore we do not have to be baptized to be saved. Does the thief on the cross prove baptism isn’t necessary?

Jesus was crucified between two criminals (Luke 23:33). While the three were hanging on their crosses, one of the criminals hurled insults at Jesus (Luke 23:39). The other thief defended Jesus and said to the Lord, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom”. Jesus replied to the thief, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:40-43).

Baptism Was Not Required Before The Death Of Jesus

A simple way to look at this would be to say that God had different rules or requirements for different time periods in history. Before sin entered the world, Adam and Eve had a simple rule to not eat fruit from a particular tree (Genesis 2:17).

The thief lived in a time period in which sin had entered the world so God required animal sacrifices as a temporary covering for their sins (Leviticus 4:35), not baptism. We today live in a time in which Jesus has paid the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. Gods plan of salvation for us is to repent, be baptized , and then receive his gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

Those who lived before the death of Christ, including the thief on the cross, could not have been buried with Jesus through baptism into death as (Romans 6:4) says. You certainly couldn’t be buried with him in death if he hadn’t died yet.

No Animal Sacrifices For Us, No Baptism For Them

We today are not required to sacrifice animals as they were in the Old Testament, or to avoid any particular fruit tree like Adam and Eve.

Anyone before the death of Jesus was not required to be baptized in the name of Jesus as we are. The thief on the cross, who lived under the Old Testament law of animal sacrifices, makes for a very poor argument against baptism.

Jesus Could Forgive Sins However He Wanted

It is also a good point to make that Jesus, being God himself, could forgive sins however he wanted. He said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2:5). To the women who anointed his feet with perfume he said, “Your sins are forgiven” (Luke 7:48). The fact that Jesus directly forgave these people’s sins, or told the thief on the cross he would be with him in paradise, in no way changes the plan he has given to us on how to be saved.

Baptism Is Necessary

The Bible plainly teaches that baptism is a necessary part of salvation. Consider Scriptures such as (Mark 16:16) Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, (John 3:5) no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit, (Acts 2:38) Repent and be baptized, every one of you, and (1 Peter 3:21) this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you.  Baptism is not optional. If you choose to believe otherwise, you have to ignore these Scriptures that apply to us today.

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