Was It "Death-Bed Conversion?"

  Confessing Christ just as one dies, faith only, no baptism, is called "death-bed conversion." Some say this is what happened to the thief on the cross. He was dying. Whether he had been baptized or not no one can tell. So what? That has nothing to do with the way of salvation for anybody today.

  The thief lived and died BEFORE the gospel plan was announced on Pentecost. Everybody today lives subject to the gospel. "Death-bed conversion" is just another ploy to try to justify disobedience to the command to be baptized. It won't hold water.

  It was commendable that the thief prepared for his future by crying out to Jesus. But his good fortune in no way informs us of what we must do to be saved.