What about the thief on the cross?
When discussing the biblical doctrine of baptism, many people object by saying, "The thief on the cross was saved without baptism, so I can be too." However, if we look to the scriptures, which we must (John 12:48), we find a problem with this argument. The thief lived before Jesus' death, and at Jesus' death, the Old Law was taken out of the way and blotted out, as stated in Colossians 2:14. This marked the beginning of the New Covenant, which Jesus said in Matthew 28:18-20 would last until the end of the world. In that New Covenant, Jesus commanded baptism. The thief on the cross lived before Jesus' death and encountered Jesus directly, which is not something that happens today. The Apostle Paul noted in 1 Corinthians 15:8 that Jesus appeared last to him.
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