How does Luke 23:42 connect with Romans 10:9 about confessing Jesus as Lord? Setting the Scene on Golgotha • Luke 23:42: “Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!’” • A dying criminal looks at the battered Man beside him and calls Him “Jesus,” openly acknowledging His coming “kingdom.” • In a single sentence the thief voices: – Jesus’ sovereign authority (“Your kingdom”) – His own need for mercy (“remember me”) – Confidence that Jesus’ reign extends beyond death (implied resurrection and rule) Paul’s Summary of Saving Confession • Romans 10:9: “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.” • Two intertwined elements: – Verbal confession: declaring Jesus as Lord – Heart-level faith: believing the resurrection Where the Two Passages Meet • The thief’s plea is a real-time illustration of Romans 10:9 in action: – Mouth confession: He speaks directly to Jesus, publicly, even while soldiers and onlookers mock (Luke 23:35-39). – Lordship acknowledged: “Your kingdom” assumes Jesus is the King—Lord over life, death, and eternity (see Acts 2:36). – Resurrection faith: Expecting Jesus to “come” into His kingdom requires believing He will live and reign after the cross (compare Luke 24:6-7). • Jesus’ immediate answer—“Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)—confirms that the simple confession met the divine standard Paul later explains. Key Parallels in Bullet Form • Both passages center on: – Person: Jesus Himself, not mere doctrine – Action: verbal confession of His lordship – Faith: confidence that death cannot stop His reign • Both promise the same result: salvation—“you will be saved” (Romans 10:9); “you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). • Both exclude works: the thief can perform no rituals; Paul insists salvation is “not by works” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Why This Matters for Us • The thief shows salvation is available up to the last breath; Romans 10:9 shows the unchanging principle. • Mouth and heart work together: belief too private to confess is incomplete (Matthew 10:32); confession without heart faith is empty (Matthew 15:8). • Assurance rests on Jesus’ promise, not personal merit—then and now. Living the Connection Today • Keep the confession central: regularly affirm “Jesus is Lord” in conversation, worship, and daily decisions (Colossians 2:6-7). • Nurture heart belief: meditate on the historical, bodily resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). • Extend the invitation: if a crucified thief can be saved by calling on Jesus, anyone who confesses and believes can experience the same grace (Acts 16:31). |
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