Sinners Wouldnt Be Baptized

One weakness of Thief on the cross theology is it sees the thief as nonreligious before meeting Jesus on the cross. In their view the thief wouldn't be baptized prior to meeting Jesus since in their view he was not religious. In their view a sinner wouldn't be religious. This is questionable because John baptized and Christ's disciples baptized throughout Judea. They baptized in multiple locations throughout Judea as people confessed their sins. All baptized were sinners except Jesus.

Of course John taught repentance with baptism, but none of the sinners baptized became perfect in one day. All religious sinners continue to sin. The baptist idea the thief or anyone else was required to perfectly repent is just silly. It is judgmental. No human has perfectly repented to achieve a sinless state. Jesus could forgive the thief without perfect repentance. He did exhibit some repentance as he confessed his sinfulness.

John's baptism, according to some, may have been for all who wanted to worship according to Judaism and specifically in Jerusalem. The Samaritans who worshipped God, but not in Jerusalem, may not have received it. On the other hand it may have been for all who were believing in a coming Christ, including the Samaritans. We do not know the full scope. It isn't stated. John 4 shows them baptizing in Judea only.

John 4 seems to be after the Passover, so not to prepare for Jewish worship during the Passover, John expressed to Nicodemus during or just after the Passover, it was to be born again. It was a new birth not just old forms. 

John 4:1-4 (KJV)  When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,

(Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)

He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.

And he must needs go through Samaria.

Baptism was for discipleship, perhaps only for close followers in Christ's case before the cross, his followers baptized to make disciples. This matches Matthew 28:18-20, but Matthew has a wider scope including all Christians. Those who went out to hear John or Jesus would be considered disciples. Perhaps the thief was a disciple at some point.

The thief along with Barabbas may have been with a group who wanted Jesus to be crowned king immediately, an insurrection was started close to the time of Christ's last entry into Jerusalem, we do not know the basis of the insurrection, whether they wanted to rule themselves or wanted Christ to be king.

One example of a sinner being religious is the woman at the well in John 4, she was living with a man that wasn't her husband, yet she was well versed in the teachings from Jerusalem and Samaria about the messiah. She also looked forward to the coming of the messiah.

Since it followed the statement Christ's disciples baptized more than John, it is likely they continued to baptize in Samaria and Galilee. Yet, we have no actual examples, just the statement Christ's disciples baptized more. Christ's ministry actually began in the Northern regions so baptizing there would be likely. Plus those of all regions followed him.

Mat 4:25  And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan. 

Yet, without actual examples it may be that John's baptism was for the Jews in the land of Judea, and Jews in Galilee, and not for the people of Samaria and Galilee. John baptized primarily those of Judea and we only see a few from Galilee.

Mar 1:5  And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. 

We do know Peter and Andrew went to John and were baptized, they were from the northern parts of Galilee. So we have Galilean Jews being baptized.

If John's baptism was not for the people outside Judea, any person not coming from that area would not be required to be baptized of John. Perhaps the thief on the cross would fall into that category. Perhaps he wasn't a Jew at all. We can't be certain. We do know he was a thief, perhaps tied to the insurrection of Barabbas, a notable prisoner released instead of Jesus. If the two thieves on the cross were tied to Barabbas then they were perhaps more religious than the common Jew, and likely would be baptized. An insurrection would be on religious grounds. John called Barabbas a Robber, other Gospels he was part of a Jewish insurrection and a murderer.

Since Barabbas was part of an insurrection he was probably somewhat religious. He was a robber and murderer for religious purposes. A religious sinner.

John baptized beyond Jordan but Christ's disciples were shown baptizing Southwest of Jerusalem, perhaps the same area Phillip baptized the Ethiopian. This gives greater coverage and allowed for all Judea to be baptized.

The woman at the well was so impressed with Jesus and him matching the messiah's identity that she brought an entire town to meet him. The point is that sinners can be just as religious as the righteous. The woman at the well was completely aware of the Messianic promises and she believed them. The thief on the cross was likely religious as well, since he knew of the kingdom of Christ and was taught about it.

Sinners are often religious, even if they are wrong in their beliefs and actions.

We see no signs the people of Samaria or the thief on the cross were required to be baptized. Yet, they may have been. It is very possible. Likely the Jews in that are were, or those at least wanting to follow Jesus. We do not know the complete scope of baptism before the cross.

The Baptist claim sinners wouldn't be religious and wouldn't get baptized is just false. It is a bad idea and really just a lie. The woman at the well was a sinner who was religious. She is just one example. In history I am sure millions of sinners were religious and millions were baptized. Whether the woman at the well or the thief were baptized in John's baptism we do not know.

Since we don't know for certain that Christ's disciples continued to baptize in Samaria and Galilee, it is possible they only baptized in Judea before the cross, we must realize they baptized in Christ's name after the cross in Samaria and beyond.

Act 8:12  But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 

Whether being baptized before the cross isn't certain, but they were baptized after in Christ's name after the cross.