I Want To Be the Redeemed Thief on the Cross

I've spent many years learning so much about God and other things, to really know nothing.  Let me explain.  This means that I know that my knowledge in comparison to God's vast unsearchable knowledge and wisdom overwhelmingly pales in comparison to His.  Is this a given?  (no)  Is this an understood, subconscious knowledge (no) or is it something we cannot begin to fully grasp because our own pride gets in the way? (I believe yes)   If I could, I'd be the thief on the cross next to Jesus. He believed and had faith in the God-man dying along side him without any distinct knowledge of doctrine or theology that has been proffered in the last 2000 years.  There is no information as to whether he was Jewish or not.  My guess is that he was because non-Roman citizens were usually the only ones crucified.  If he was Jewish, then it is possible he was somewhat or very familiar with his Scriptures (OT) and had an understanding of the Messiah figure that would come.  Perhaps he even had heard Jesus teach on occasion in around Jerusalem and was familiar with him.  This is really reading between the lines so I will not continue.  The fact remains that he asked Jesus to remember him when Jesus came into his kingdom and Jesus said the man would be in paradise with him that day!  The thief didn't squabble over inerrancy or predestination or the many other fights that have split the church over two millenia.  He understood who Jesus was and asked Jesus to "remember him."  Straight to the point and without much flare or fanfare, the man believed and made a statement of faith. This in direct opposition to the other robber who had a misunderstanding of Christ's purpose on the earth and openly blaspheming Jesus, mocked him as so many others had.   The other criminal knew he was being justly punished, knew Jesus was innocent of any wrong doing and yet had faith in Jesus to be saved.  He knew he was a sinner in need of the merciful gift of grace God gives to those who have faith.  There was no catechism or recorded (in the Gospels) prior teaching to the man (although, as said before, he may have heard Jesus teach prior to seeing him that day at Golgotha.).  Salvation comes through faith and faith alone in the resurrected Christ Jesus! Thanks be to God!!  There is no saved by faith and you must believe all this doctrine and theology.  No no no!  One can be saved without fully understanding all of God's attributes, without fully understanding His revelation (indeed we may never fully grasp it), and without fully understanding or agreeing on every Evangelical Belief out there.  Don't get me wrong.  I'm not knocking the Reformed/Evangelical belief systems.  I am Reformed in my thinking but I am unwilling to agree with some Christians, who wrongly impress upon their brothers and sisters, that in order to be a "True" Christian a believer must agree with everything a local congregation or hierarchical governing body  proposes as doctrine.  Daniel B. Wallace describes this conundrum best HERE (about halfway down the page) and with 4 simple questions:

1. What doctrines are essential for the life of the church?

2. What doctrines are important for the health of the church?

3. What doctrines are distinctives that are necessary for the practice of the local church?

4. What doctrines belong to the speculative realm or should never divide the church?

I am not advocating not learning or agreeing with any doctrine whatsoever.  Our call to be disciples includes loving God with not only ALL our heart and soul but also our MIND.  This calls out to me that simply agreeing with doctrine without serious thought about said doctrine and why one believes it is an egregious error.  It is an error made all too often!  

All of this makes me question what it is we actually know and how well do we really know it?  In 2000 years and even the millennia that encompassed the Old Testament teachings, there has been illumination of God's revelation.  The family of God is always learning and understanding more.  It's not the truth that changes but that the truth is better understood.  And this because "iron sharpens iron."  Certainly, some sharpening is due to incorrect understandings and incorrect philosophies.  However, without them we would not be as sharp.  There is a difference between swallowing and digesting.  There is a difference between hearing and learning.  There is a difference between blindness and understanding.

"Faith [is] the spiritual organ that enables a person to perceive the invisible realities of life."

Of all I "know" and "understand" I only know because God helped me to.  Even then, I may not fully understand everything He has tried to teach me or illuminate for me. It's entirely plausible, as well, that what I think I "know" and "understand" may not have come from God at all!  Therefore making what I "know" and "understand" false and in need of God's illumination and correction!  I do not say this to say that we, Christians, know nothing and should declare it as such.  By no means! However, the strain upon our fellow believers to "know" so many things without allowing them to investigate and question for themselves is a caustic burden no Christian should have to carry.  Discipleship and Sanctification is a lifelong journey.  It is a journey instituted, instigated, and carried out by God, first and foremost!  The family of God, in its role as teacher and maker of disciples is a tool in God's hand.  And it is possible, very possible, that the church has done a poor job of letting God wield that tool to His liking and instead removing the tool from God's control to castigate our fellow brothers and sisters.  Do not die on the sword of doctrine for the sake of dying.