Really? The crucified thief beside Jesus did quite a bit! Here is the story from Luke 23:
39 One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” 40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving [c]what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come [d]in Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”
He withstood the extreme pressure around him to mock Jesus, he rebuked and then witnessed to the other thief, and then he expressed clearly in words a deep faith in Jesus. And all this while he was dying in a most agonizing death!
And you say this thief is an example of "accepting the free offer of Christ's perfect sacrifice, do nothing afterward, and still be saved?"
And then you call dying an agonizing death of crucifixion "did nothing but hang around for a while, then die"!!!!!!!!!!!!
I do not believe salvation is a just a mental decision that we make that has little or no effect on our living. When we believe in Jesus, as did this thief, it has tremendous impacts on all of our living.
39 One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” 40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving [c]what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come [d]in Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”
He withstood the extreme pressure around him to mock Jesus, he rebuked and then witnessed to the other thief, and then he expressed clearly in words a deep faith in Jesus. And all this while he was dying in a most agonizing death!
And you say this thief is an example of "accepting the free offer of Christ's perfect sacrifice, do nothing afterward, and still be saved?"
And then you call dying an agonizing death of crucifixion "did nothing but hang around for a while, then die"!!!!!!!!!!!!
I do not believe salvation is a just a mental decision that we make that has little or no effect on our living. When we believe in Jesus, as did this thief, it has tremendous impacts on all of our living.
