Robert Breaker disagrees with Martin Luther, Jan Hus, John Wesley and John Chrysostom on the Thief on the Cross being applicable to modern day Christians

Thank you to Brother Don Nesbitt, the Lord's bloodhound for sounding the alarm about Breaker.

The Lord's bloodhound's youtube is @w46try7.

The Thief on the Cross has been used by Christians since its beginning.

"conscience. The work he has wrought and his holiness of life avail nothing. They merely push him deeper into death, since he is without the solace of the Gospel, while others, such as the thief on the cross and the publican, grasp the comfort of the Gospel, the forgiveness of sins in Christ. Thus sin is conquered; they escape the sentence of the Law, and pass through death into life eternal." - Martin Luther, TERRORS OF THE LAW

https://ccel.org/ccel/luther/sermons/sermons.v.xi.html

"But those whose sins are forgiven by Christ are divided into two sorts: The first are those who, exalting the priesthood, claim that without their absolution no one could ever be absolved; and these are like the lepers cleansed who did not return to Jesus to give Him praise. The second are those who faithfully speak and believe that a sinner can receive forgiveness of sins from God even if no priest absolves him here; just as the Lord God did with many in the Old Testament and in the New, and with the thief on the cross, and with that public sinner who confessed to God in the 18th chapter of St. Luke, saying: 'God be merciful to me a sinner!' And that God forgave him his sins Christ Himself bears witness, saying that he went down to his house justified. But few are those who give that power to Christ, just as only one of the lepers returned to Jesus with praise, and that was a Samaritan—that is, a Gentile from Samaria, from that Gentile land. As the Gospel says: 'And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back,' and so forth. 'One' out of ten healed! Here is shown how rare are people grateful to Jesus, as Jesus Himself says below. 'Seeing that he was cleansed of leprosy, he turned back, with a loud voice glorifying God'; a loud voice signifies the greatness of his gratitude, devotion, and faith, wherefore he glorified God, not the priests to whom he had shown himself. 'And fell down on his face,' whereby he showed humility; 'at his feet,' whereby he acknowledged Jesus's benefaction; 'giving him thanks,' that is, as to God. 'And he was a Samaritan,' that is, a Gentile from Samaria. And St. Luke notes this as if to imply that the others were Jews who supposed they had their healing by virtue of the Law because they showed themselves to the priests; but this Samaritan confessed that he was healed by Christ. 'And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?' Here the commentary says: He asks about the ungrateful as if they were strangers, saying 'where are they?' for just as an ungrateful person does not acknowledge God's benefaction, neither does God acknowledge him unto salvation and grace. Further Christ says: 'There are not found that returned,' namely of the nine, 'to give glory to God, save this stranger.' Behold, the Savior exposes the others in their ingratitude and praises this one for his gratitude, saying to him: 'Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.' 'Faith,' which is the foundation of all saving virtues; 'thy' faith, not another's, not the priest's; 'thee,' the humble and grateful one; 'hath made whole' in body from leprosy and in soul from sin, and that by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen." - Jan Hus, Postilla, 14th Sunday after Trinity (Neděle čtrnáctá po sv. Trojici), PDF page 349 (book page 319)

"But does not God command us to repent also Yea, and to 'bring forth fruits meet for repentance'—to cease, for instance, from doing evil, and learn to do well And is not both the one and the other of the utmost necessity, insomuch that if we willingly neglect either, we cannot reasonably expect to be justified at all But if this be so, how can it be said that faith is the only condition of justification" God does undoubtedly command us both to repent, and to bring forth fruits meet for repentance; which if we willingly neglect, we cannot reasonably expect to be justified at all: therefore both repentance, and fruits meet for repentance, are, in some sense, necessary to justification. But they are not necessary in the same sense with faith, nor in the same degree. Not in the same degree; for those fruits are only necessary conditionally; if there be time and opportunity for them. Otherwise a man may be justified without them, as was the thief upon the cross (if we may call him so; for a late writer has discovered that he was no thief, but a very honest and respectable person!); but he cannot be justified without faith; this is impossible. Likewise, let a man have ever so much repentance, or ever so many of the fruits meet for repentance, yet all this does not at all avail; he is not justified till he believes. But the moment he believes, with or without those fruits, yea, with more or less repentance, he is justified. --Not in the same sense; for repentance and its fruits are only remotely necessary; necessary in order to faith; whereas faith is immediately necessary to justification. It remains, that faith is the only condition, which is immediately and proximately necessary to justification." - John Wesley, The Scripture Way of Salvation

I want to give the full context of John Wesley's salvation theology. He taught salvation is given by believing and praying.

"And, First, all who desire the grace of God are to wait for it in the way of prayer. This is the express direction of our Lord himself. In his Sermon upon the Mount, after explaining at large wherein religion consists, and describing the main branches of it, he adds, 'Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.' (Matt. 7:7, 8.) Here we are in the plainest manner directed to ask, in order to, or as a means of, receiving; to seek, in order to find, the grace of God, the pearl of great price; and to knock, to continue asking and seeking, if we would enter into his kingdom." - John Wesley, The Means of Grace

"3. The absolute necessity of using this means, if we would receive any gift from God, yet farther appears from that remarkable passage which immediately precedes these words: 'And he said unto them,' whom he had just been teaching how to pray, 'Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and shall say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves: And he from within shall answer, Trouble me not; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity, he will rise, and give him as many as he needeth. And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you.' (Luke 11:5, 7-9.) 'Though he will not give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.' How could our blessed Lord more plainly declare, that we may receive of God, by this means, by importunately asking, what otherwise we should not receive at all" - John Wesley, The Means of Grace

"Here the condemned performs the office of judge, and he begins to decide concerning truth who before Pilate confessed his crime only after many tortures. For the judgment of man from whom secret things are hid is of one kind; the judgment of God who searches the heart of another. And in the former case punishment follows after confession, but here confession is made to salvation. But he also pronounces Christ innocent, adding, But this man has done nothing wrong: as if to say, Behold a new injury, that innocence should be condemned with crime. We kill the living, He raised the dead. We have stolen from others, He bids us give up even what is our own" - John Chrysostom, Luke 23:40-41 Catena Aurea (Golden Chain)

"Here then might one see the Savior between the thieves weighing in the scales of justice faith, and unbelief. The devil cast Adam out of Paradise. Christ brought the thief into Paradise before the whole world, before the Apostles. By a mere word and by faith alone he entered into Paradise, that no one after his sins might despair of entrance. Mark the rapid change, from the cross to heaven, from condemnation to Paradise, that you may know that the Lord did it all, not with regard to the thief's good intention, but His own mercy." - John Chrysostom, Luke 23:42-43

"Now I have said these things so that you may not think you were disadvantaged by what happened at the beginning. The devil cast Adam out; Christ brought the thief in. And consider the difference: the devil cast out a man who had committed no sin, but had merely a single stain of disobedience; yet Christ brought into Paradise a thief bearing ten thousand burdens of sin.

Is this, then, the only wonder, that He brought a thief into Paradise, and nothing else? There is yet a greater thing to tell. For He not only brought in a thief, but brought him in before the entire world, and even before the Apostles, so that none of those who come afterward might despair of entry, nor lose hope in their own salvation, when they see one filled with countless evils walking freely in the royal courts.

Yet let us see: did the thief display labors, righteous deeds, and good fruits? One cannot even say this! Rather, on the strength of a bare word, by faith alone, he leaped into Paradise before the Apostles, so that you might learn that it was not his own merit that had such power, but that the Master’s love for mankind accomplished the whole work.

For what did the thief say? What did he do? Did he fast? Did he weep? Did he tear his garments? Did he show repentance over a long period of time? Not at all! But on the cross itself, after the sentence was passed, he attained salvation. Behold the swiftness: from the cross to heaven; from condemnation to salvation! What, then, were those words? How great was their power, that they procured so many blessings for him? “Remember me,” he said, “in Your kingdom.” - John Chrysostom, Patrologia Graeca, Tomus LIV (54), PDF pages 237-238

https://dn721206.ca.archive.org/0/items/patrologiae_cursus_completus_gr_vol_054/patrologiae_cursus_completus_gr_vol_054.pdf

The Bible says Jeremiah 6:16 "Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein."

Robert Breaker has said to all of those men, no, you are wrong.

I will let him speak.

"Welcome back. I'm Robert Breaker, and I'm at the whiteboard again, and I've got a message prepared for you today that I think will be fun. Now, please make sure you hear the entire message. A lot of people just look at a title and they assume something. Well, do you know what it means to assume? Spell that word out sometime—it makes a [first three letters] out of you and me.

[00:24] So let's don't assume something before we look at something. But what I want to talk to you today is about the subject of: The Thief on the Cross Makes a Lousy Example of Our Salvation Today!

[00:34] And a lot of people, they will run to the thief on the cross and say, 'Look, see how the thief on the cross was saved? Well, that's how we're saved today.' And I understand they mean well, but is that New Testament salvation?

[00:50] Now, I have used it as an illustration because it's a great illustration of certain things. Number one, it illustrates that salvation is not by water baptism, because this guy didn't have time to be baptized in water. And it illustrates that it's not by our works that we do, because this guy did bad works, and he was a criminal, and yet the Lord said, 'Okay, you're going to paradise with Me.' But is this a true type of our New Testament salvation?

[01:20] That's what we're going to look at today. I hope this will be a blessing to you. I'm not trying to teach something that's wrong or different or made up, and I'm not really doing this for clickbait. I really want people to understand this."

He then makes three points.

1. This is still the Old Testament

"This is still Old Testament, because Jesus hasn't died yet.

So why are you running to this and trying to make this a type of our salvation today when this is still Old Testament?"

"So when Jesus dies on that cross and sheds all that blood, that's what starts the New Testament. Well, Jesus was dying, but He hadn't died yet. So all this is still Old Testament when this fella says that. Have you ever thought about that? I don't think a lot of preachers think about what they're preaching or when they're preaching. I don't think they know what they're talking about, but this brings us to dispensations."

2. Nowhere Does It Say the Thief Trusted the Blood

"How are we saved today, by the way? We're saved through the blood atonement of Jesus. Well, He hadn't atoned yet. He was in the process of doing the atonement, but He hadn't died yet, and this takes place right before that.

Nowhere does it say that the thief trusted the blood.

You don't read that anywhere. He's sitting there looking at the blood of Jesus, and he doesn't say, 'Lord, I trust Your blood for the forgiveness of my sins.' Instead, he says, 'Hey, I want You to let me into Your kingdom.' And the Lord says, 'All right.'"

3. He Didn't Go to Heaven When He Died

"Another reason the thief on the cross makes a poor example of salvation:

He didn't go to heaven when he died.

Where did he go? He went to paradise. Today, paradise and heaven are the same, but at that time, they weren't. When Jesus died, for three days and three nights He was in the heart of the earth."

Do those points stand, even if you are a dispensationalist?

NO.

1. Jesus died before the thief did. His words are "Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise."

The thief lived to see the New Testament.

Hebrews 9:16

"For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator."

John 19:31-33

"The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs"

So, the thief lived to see the New Testament, and what do his words indirectly mean?

"Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom."

So, he believed Jesus would be resurrected, and what is the gospel?

1 Corinthians 15:3-4

"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:"

While, I admit we don't have him admitting to the burial, he very much believed in the resurrection. And, the burial is a logical inference for a resurrection.

2. Nowhere Does It Say the Thief Trusted the Blood

Compare Scripture with Scripture.

Colossians 1:20 "And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven."

The blood of his cross. The blood is connected to the cross, and Christ's death.

Have you realized the Bible says in Romans 10:9.

Romans 10:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."

Why specifically the resurrection? The gospel is the death, burial and resurrection. Not just the resurrection.

I was praying and studying (This is God working not me being smart) and the Lord gave me this.

If you believe Jesus resurrected, you believe he died, and was buried.

It's a synecdoche.

": a figure of speech by which a part is put for the whole (such as fifty sail for fifty ships), the whole for a part (such as society for high society), the species for the genus (such as cutthroat for assassin), the genus for the species (such as a creature for a man), or the name of the material for the thing made (such as boards for stage)" - merriam-webster

The Lord blessed me, and showed me someone else taught this.

"Hath raised him from the dead.—Comp. Romans 4:25. Though the death of Christ apprehended by faith is more especially the cause of the Christian's salvation, still the Apostle regards the Resurrection as the cardinal point; for without the Resurrection the proof of the Messiahship of Jesus would have been incomplete, and His death would not have had its saving efficacy." - Charles Ellicott

(I do not claim Charles Ellicott believes my views, however I USE him to show that this view of a synecdoche is a thing found in history).

And, in Romans 3:25. It says you specifically believe in the blood? Why the blood?

The blood is connected to the cross, the cross is connected to the death.

Colossians 1:20 connects them.

If Jesus died, he had to be resurrected.

1 Corinthians says.

1 Corinthians 15:17

"And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins."

So, Romans 3:25 is a synecdoche for the death, burial and resurrection as Romans 10:9 is a synecdoche in that manner.

Then Romans 3:25 means by faith in his death, burial and resurrection.

After all, who would disagree with the idea that Romans 10:9 obviously isn't saying you have to purely believe in his resurrection and that alone, and not his death, and burial.

The resurrection is proceeded by the death, and burial.

The blood of his cross is succeeded by the death, and burial.

Jesus cannot have died without resurrecting, and being buried.

Jesus cannot have resurrected without dying and being buried.

Synecdoche.

3. He Didn't Go to Heaven When He Died

That's a non-sequitur.

He died in the New Testament, arguably the first person saved in the New Testament.

And, this is not my opinion.

https://dn721206.ca.archive.org/0/items/patrologiae_cursus_completus_gr_vol_054/patrologiae_cursus_completus_gr_vol_054.pdf

Whether he went to Abraham's bosom, or heaven, it doesn't matter.

He was a person saved by faith alone (and confessing) and died in the New Testament, and went to heaven.

Should the Protestants never have quoted this during the reformation?

Jeremiah 6:16

"Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein."

"We're walking and talking about how we're living in the day and age of apostasy, and boy, are we in that day and age of apostasy. So they shall fall among them that fall. At the time that I visit them, they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.

Thus saith the Lord, stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the what? The old paths. Where is the good way and walk therein? And you shall find rest for your souls. Well, Jesus talks about that, salvation, rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk therein.'

And we're seeing some people today that they piss on the flag, if you will, of the old-time way and they say, 'We don't want the old-time way.' And then they call what we're preaching the old-time path, the old path, the old-time way new and modern because what they have they claim is older. It's classic projection, classic transference." - Robert Breaker, Faith in the Blood is NOT a Modern Doctrine starting at 3:45

Projecting?

This is Robert Breaker's soteriology.

November 6, 2025

Robert Breaker:

... is to confess with their mouth that the Lord is Jesus, or Jesus is Lord. Wouldn't that be Israel? So when I read Romans 10, I see Jews asking Paul, "Hey, what about Israel?" And he says, "Well, if a guy is a Jew and he has confessed that Jesus is his Lord, that Jesus is his Messiah, and if he believes that God hath raised him from the dead, well then he can be saved."

Joseph Gonzalez:

Right.

Robert Breaker:

So if he believes in who and what, then he'll be saved.

Joseph Gonzalez:

Right.

Robert Breaker:

I don't think he's telling you you have to do both, and that you have to say with the mouth or you're not saved.

Joseph Gonzalez:

Right, right, right.

Robert Breaker:

If he's saying you have to believe from your heart in something and say it with your mouth at the same time, then that would be a faith plus works gospel.

Joseph Gonzalez:

Right.

Robert Breaker:

And that would nullify what Jesus did, because it's not just what he did... it's what you say, which would be a work.

Let's see what every quoted man in the article believes.

"With the mouth confession is made unto salvation (10:10). Faith which leads to righteousness does not attain the goal of righteousness, namely salvation, unless it culminates in confession. For no one can be saved who does not confess Christ before men. Faith must be active in love, and it must express itself in confession. For faith cannot be idle. If it is true faith, it must show itself in love and good works, and above all, in confession of the truth before the world." - Martin Luther, Martin Luther's Commentary on Romans (translated by J. Theodore Mueller), Romans 10:9-13, Page 148

I will quote the entire Homily, as to avoid any appearance of quote mining.

ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY, Neděle jedenáctá po svaté Trojici, Neděle jedenádctá po svaté Trojici, Evangelium XLIV

"St. Luke, Chapter 18

At that time, Jesus spoke this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

10. 'Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

11. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself: 'God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

12. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.'

13. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying: 'God be merciful to me a sinner.'

14. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.'

[EXPOSITION]

Our gracious Savior, being humble and desiring to lead the proud to humility, presented two men as an example: one proud and the other humble, so that looking into them as into mirrors, we might beware of pride, hold fast to humility, not revile others, and confess our sins to the Lord God, asking for His mercy.

Behold, therefore Jesus spoke this parable to certain people who trusted in themselves as being righteous and despised others: 'Two men went up into the temple to pray: the one a Pharisee [scribe/religious leader] and the other a publican [an open/manifest sinner].'

Note here that the Pharisee abandoned the very purpose for which he went into the temple: for he went to pray, yet he did not pray; secondly, he was proud; thirdly, he reviled his neighbor. Thus, he obtained nothing profitable for himself, remained in his sins, and acquired even more of them.

The publican, however:

Quietly and humbly acknowledged his guilt in sin;

Felt genuine shame;

Grieved over his sin;

Prayed briefly and well for his sins.

Therefore, he received the forgiveness of his sins and returned home justified. The Pharisee, because he exalted himself, was abased; and the publican, because he humbled himself, was exalted. And so it will happen to everyone according as they follow either the Pharisee or the publican.

For these two men provide us an example regarding prayer. The Savior says: 'Two men went up into the temple to pray.'

'Two': so that love toward one's neighbor might be preserved, without which prayer is not pleasing to God.

'Men': to demonstrate gentleness; for man, as Aristotle says, is a gentle and sociable creature with others. Therefore Christ says: 'Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart.'

'Went up' (which in Latin signifies went upward): this shows that in prayer the mind must be elevated to God, for true prayer is the elevation of the mind to God; and the publican had this.

'Into the temple': because the temple or church is a place specially suited for prayer, as I wrote in the treatise On Prayer.

'To pray': not to pursue wanton courtships, nor to hear idle tales, nor to whisper uselessly or laugh, nor to seek greed and gain—which today both Pharisees and priests seek in church, many of whom would never even look into a church if they derived no physical gain from it. Such people ought to be cast out of the church, so that they do not make the house of prayer into a den of thieves. For in the house of God, as St. Augustine says, no one ought to do anything other than that for which God's house was established. And since it was established for God's praise, one ought to praise God in it through praying, contemplating God, preaching His word, hearing it, singing, or performing other holy deeds. Therefore, woe to those who seek fornication or greed in God's house, breed indiscipline, or commit other sins!

Behold, these 'two went up into the temple to pray: one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.' A Pharisee is one who separated or set himself apart from the community by special customs and vestments, desiring to appear holier than ordinary people; and a publican is one who openly sins—committing fornication, getting drunk, cursing wickedly, playing dice or other games for money, dancing on feast days and on other days, buying benefices or greedily accumulating many of them, proudly clothing himself on alms and squandering them while people openly see it. Likewise, it refers to one who openly pursues greed, as St. Bede says: that a publican was one who collected tolls or farmed taxes, or sought worldly profit through commerce. So says that saint. But according to both the Latin and Czech word, publicanus (an open sinner) is one who openly commits sin without shame before people.

'And the Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself.' Know here that a person can pray well while standing, just as the publican prayed standing; yet the most suitable posture for bodily prayer, according to time and place, is kneeling or falling prostrate on one's face. In this way the prophets and other saints prayed, and especially our merciful Savior. As St. Luke says in chapter 22, kneeling down, He prayed. And St. Matthew says in chapter 26 that He fell on His face, praying and saying: 'O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.' Behold, here you have the example of your Savior, that kneeling and falling on one's face in prayer is a worthy manner; yet a person can pray worthily while standing, sitting, lying down, walking, or riding—though most devoutly while kneeling or falling on one's face.

To this must be joined other conditions:

A pure heart;

Elevation of the mind;

True utterance of the words;

Understanding what is uttered.

Therefore, I would rather recite one Our Father with understanding unto reward than many other prayers that I do not understand; and it is better to grieve over sins from the heart without words than to recite or sing fine, invented speeches. Therefore St. Gregory says: To pray rightly is to lament from the heart in the sorrow of love, not to pour forth ornate words.

Because the Pharisee lacked this sorrow, he prayed improperly; and therefore he remained in his sins, for he did not ask of God, but exalted himself, disparaged others, condemned his fellow neighbor, and returned home in sin. He ought first to have accused himself, as Scripture says: 'The righteous man accuses himself at the beginning,' and thus he first confesses his sin against himself, then prays for it, and finally gives thanks to God. But the Pharisee did not do this; rather, he did the reverse, beginning backwards with thanksgiving, saying: 'God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers.'

He condemns three sins and says he does not have them:

Robbery/extortion: the unjust seizing of another's property;

Unrighteousness: whereby one wrongs his neighbor in his person;

Adultery.

In this, each of us should take instruction from the Pharisee to consider that these sins are great and to despise them; but we must not despise people, exalting ourselves above them as this Pharisee exalted himself, saying: 'I am not as other men.' As St. Augustine says, it is as though he said: I alone am righteous, and all others are sinners.

Know that when he says: 'I am not as extortioners,' he touches upon those who harm their neighbor's wealth; when he says: 'unjust,' he touches upon those who harm their neighbor in their person; and when he says: 'adulterers,' he touches upon those who violate their neighbor's wives.

Furthermore, he says: 'or even as this publican.' Here the commentary says: Behold, having the publican near him was an occasion for greater conceit; for pride, whether consorting with the good or the evil, always works harm. If it has a wretched person beside it, it swells up all the more; if it has a prosperous person beside it, it tortures itself with envy. But humility gains everywhere: if it has a wretched person beside it, it pities him; if it has a prosperous person, it humbles itself even more.

Know that there are four branches of pride, as St. Gregory says:

When someone possesses some good and imagines that he has it of himself;

When, although he believes it was given to him, he imagines it was given on account of his own merits;

When someone boasts of something he does not possess;

When, despising others, he seeks especially to be seen as possessing what he has above others.

The Pharisee was caught in this pride, boasting that he was righteous and good above other men. He goes on to say: 'I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.' Here he recounts his good works, which were not virtues because he did not perform them well, despising others; for whoever does anything while consciously holding mortal sin within himself—and thus not being in charity—does nothing well, whatever good he may do. Therefore, his fasting was not virtuous, nor was his giving of tithes. A person must take care that everything he does is done without mortal sin, and thus in charity; for St. Paul says: 'Let all your things be done with charity!'

For there are two parts of righteousness: one is not to sin, and the other is to do good, as David says to everyone: 'Depart from evil, and do good!' The Pharisee claimed both parts for himself: that he did not sin, and that he did good. The first part he claimed by saying: 'I am not as other men.' The second by saying: 'I fast twice in the week.' But that pride made his fasting and other deeds abominable, just as it now spoils all the deeds of many others—especially the Pharisees who boast over others through their works and ordinances. Nor will their chanting of the canonical hours help them, for Christ says in Matthew 15: 'This people honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.'

Christ says further: 'And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying: God be merciful to me a sinner!'

Here the dear Savior praises the publican:

In fear and reverence: saying 'he stood afar off,' as though fearing to approach closely;

In shame: saying 'he would not lift up his eyes unto heaven,' being ashamed before God against whom he had sinned;

In sorrow for sin: saying 'he smote upon his breast';

In confession and short prayer: because he said, 'God be merciful to me a sinner!'

And without doubt, whichever sinner confesses and prays to God from such a heart, the merciful Lord God forgives him his sins.

In confirmation of this, Christ says: 'I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other' (that is, rather than the Pharisee).

Here St. Augustine says:

You have heard the opposing speeches of the Pharisee and the publican; now hear the sentence. You heard the proud boaster, and you heard the guilty, humble sinner; now hear the Judge: 'I tell you!' Truth speaks, God speaks, the Judge speaks: 'I tell you: this publican went down from the temple justified rather than the Pharisee.' Ask why? Hear why: 'For every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.' You have heard the judgment: beware of the evil cause! Again I say: Hear the judgment, beware of pride! Let those see and hear this who presumptuously rely upon their own virtue! (Thus far St. Augustine.)

Behold, we hear of two ladders in the Gospel: one is pride, by which people climb down from above; the other is humility, by which they climb up from below. On the first was the Pharisee, and on the second was the publican: the former was abased, and the latter exalted. Therefore the Savior says that 'every one that exalteth himself' like that Pharisee 'shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself'—that is, conducts himself humbly like this publican—'shall be exalted.'

And thus it is beyond doubt that whoever exalts himself in the world and in his heart is lesser before God; and whoever humbles himself in his heart and in the world, the Lord God exalts before Himself. And He will prove this when He exalts the humble on the Day of Judgment and brings down the proud, as the Virgin Mary prophesied, saying: 'He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.' That is: He has done this to many now, and He will do it finally on the Day of Judgment.

May the merciful Savior grant that we do not boast nor despise our neighbors, but that we truly repent of our sins and pray humbly, so that we may enter into our home, into the heavenly kingdom, being justified—and this through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen."

Look at this line.

"Quietly and humbly acknowledged his guilt in sin;

Felt genuine shame;

Grieved over his sin;

Prayed briefly and well for his sins.

He teaches you're forgiven when you PRAY, not just feeling grieved.

"For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

For with the heart — Not the understanding only.

Man believeth to righteousness — So as to obtain justification.

And with the mouth confession is made — So as to obtain final salvation. Confession here implies the whole of outward, as believing does the root of all inward, religion." - John Wesley, Romans 10:10

"For there is no need to say, he means, that one must go up to heaven, or cross a great sea, and then receive the commandments, but things so great and grand hath God made of easy access to us. And what meaneth the phrase, 'The Word is nigh thee?' That is, It is easy. For in thy mind and in thy tongue is thy salvation. There is no long journey to go, no seas to sail over, no mountains to pass, to get saved. But if you be not minded to cross so much as the threshold, you may even while you SIT AT HOME BE SAVED. For 'in thy mouth and in thy heart' is the source of salvation." - John Chrysostom, Romans 10:9, Homily 18 on Romans.

"You see how he produces witnesses, whether to the faith, or to the confession of it. For the words, 'Every one that believeth,' point out the faith. But the words, 'Whosoever shall call upon,' set forth confession. Then again to proclaim the universality of the grace, and to lay their boasting low, what he had before demonstrated at length, he here briefly recalls to their memory, showing again that there is no difference between the Jew and the uncircumcised. 'For there is,' he says, 'no difference between the Jew and the Greek.'" - John Chrysostom, Romans 10:11, Homily 18 on Romans.

"We have despised God, we have hated that good Name, we have trodden Christ under foot, we have lost all reverence, none names the Name of God with honor. Yet if you love any one, even at his name you start to your feet; but God you thus continually invoke, and make nothing of it. Call upon Him for the benefit of your enemy; call upon Him for THE SALVATION of your own soul; then he will be present, then you will delight Him; whereas now you provoke Him to anger. Call upon Him as Stephen did; "Lord," he said, "lay not this sin to their charge." [Acts 7:59] Call upon Him as did the wife of Elkanah, with tears and sobs, and prayers. [1 Samuel 1:10] I prevent you not, rather I earnestly exhort you to it. Call upon him as Moses called upon Him, yea, cried, interceding for those who had driven him into banishment." - John Chrysostom, Homily 10 on the Acts of the Apostles

"But Isaiah the prophet, who spake many years ago, that we were to be sent, and to preach, and to say what we do say. If the BEING SAVED, then, came of CALLING upon Him, and calling upon Him from believing, and believing from hearing, and hearing from preaching, and preaching from being sent, and if they were sent, and did preach, and the prophet went round with them to point them out, and proclaim them, and say that these were they whom they showed of so many ages ago, whose feet even they praised because of the matter of their preaching; then it is quite clear that the not believing was their own fault only. And that because God's part had been fulfilled completely." - John Chrysostom, Romans 10:14, Homily 18 on Romans.

Do you see that he too does not say that all are to be saved, but that those that are worthy shall? For I regard not the multitude, he means, nor does a race diffused so far distress me, but those only do I save that yield themselves worthy of it. And he does not mention the sand of the sea without a reason, but to remind them of the ancient promise whereof they had made themselves unworthy. Why then are you troubled, as though the promise had failed, when all the Prophets show that it is not all that are to be saved? Then he mentions the mode of the salvation also. Observe the accuracy of the Prophet, and the judgment of the Apostle, what a testimony he has cited, how exceedingly apposite! For it not only shows us that those to be saved are some and not all, but also adds the way they are to be saved. How then are they to be saved, and how will God count them worthy of the benefit?

Ver. 28. He will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness, he says, because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. Isaiah 10:23

What he means then is somewhat of this sort. There is no need of fetching a circuit, and of trouble, and the vexation of the works of the Law, for the salvation is by a very short way. For such is faith, it holds salvation in a few short words. For if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. Romans 10:9 Now you see what this, the Lord shall make a short word upon earth, is. And what is indeed wonderful is, that this short word carries with it not salvation only, but also righteousness." - John Chrysostom, Homily 16 on Romans

"Who after that he said, I will go to my father, (which brought all good things,) tarried not, but took the whole journey; for it follows, And he arose, and came to his father. Let us do likewise, and not be wearied with the length of the way, for if we are willing, the return will become swift and easy, provided that we desert sin, which led us out from our father's house. But the father pitieth those who return. For it is added, And when he was yet afar off.

Now the father perceiving his penitence did not wait to receive the words of HIS CONFESSION, but anticipates his supplication, and had compassion on him, as it is added, and was moved with pity.

For what else means it that he ran, but that we through the hindrance of our sins cannot by our own virtue reach to God. But because God is able to come to the weak, he fell on his neck. The mouth is kissed, as that from which has proceeded the confession of the penitent, springing from the heart, which the father gladly received.

The father does not direct his words to his son, but speaks to his steward, for he who repents, prays indeed, but receives no answer in word, yet beholds mercy effectual in operation. For it follows, But the father said unto his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him.

Or he bids them put shoes on his feet, either for the sake of covering the soles of his feet that he may walk firm along the slippery path of the world, or for the mortification of his members. For the course of our life is called in the Scriptures a foot, and a kind of mortification takes place in shoes; inasmuch as they are made of the skins of dead animals. He adds also, that the fatted calf must be killed for the celebration of the feast. For it follows, And bring the fatted calf, that is, the Lord Jesus Christ, whom he calls a calf, because of the sacrifice of a body without spot; but he called it fatted, because it is rich and costly, inasmuch as it is sufficient for the salvation of the whole world. But the Father did not Himself sacrifice the calf, but gave it to be sacrificed to others. For the Father permitting, the Son consenting thereto by men was crucified.

For the father himself rejoices in the return of his son, and feasts on the calf, because the Creator, rejoicing in the acquisition of a believing people, feasts on the fruit of His mercy by the sacrifice of His Son. Hence it follows, For this my son was dead, and is alive again." - John Chrysostom, Luke 15:17-24, Catena Aurea

"He died then indeed in body, but his soul was dead before. For he did none of the works of the soul. All that warmth which issues from the love of our neighbour had fled, and he was more dead than his body. (Conc. 2. de Lazaro.). But no one is spoken of as having ministered to the rich man's burial as to that of Lazarus. Because when he lived pleasantly in the broad road, he had many busy flatterers; when he came to his end, all forsook him. For it simply follows, and was buried in hell. But his soul also when living was buried, enshrined in its body as it were in a tomb.

As it made the poor man's affliction heavier while he lived to lie before the rich man's gate, and to behold the prosperity of others, so when the rich man was dead it added to his desolation, that he lay in hell and saw the happiness of Lazarus, feeling not only by the nature of His own torments, but also by the comparison of Lazarus's honour, his own punishment the more intolerable. Hence it follows, But lifting up his eyes, He lifted up his eyes that he might look on him, not despise him; for Lazarus was above, he below. Many angels earned Lazarus; he was seized by endless torments. Therefore it is not said, being in torment, but torments. For he was wholly in torments, his eyes alone were free, so that he might behold the joy of another. His eyes are allowed to be free that he may be the more tortured, not having that which another has. The riches of others are the torments of those who are in poverty.

There were many poor righteous men, but he who lay at his door met his sight to add to his woe. For it follows, And Lazarus in his bosom. It may here be observed, that all who are offended by us are exposed to our view. But the rich man sees Lazarus not with any other righteous man, but in Abraham's bosom. For Abraham was full of love, but the man is convicted of cruelty. Abraham sitting before his door followed after those that passed by, and brought them into his house, the other turned away even them that abode within his gate.

But not because he was rich was he tormented, but because he was not merciful.

Or, in that he wishes his tongue to be cooled, when he was altogether burning in the flame, that is SIGNIFIED which is written, Death and LIFE are in the hands of the tongue, (Prov. 18:21.) and with the mouth CONFESSION is made to SALVATION; (Rom. 10:10.) which from pride he DID NOT do, but the tip of the finger means the very least work in which a man is assisted by the Holy Spirit." - John Chrysostom, Luke 16:22-24, Catena Aurea

"For what hurt does such kindred with those beneath us, when we are all alike kin to One above us? For who calls God Father, in that one title confesses at once the forgiveness of sins, the adoption, the heirship, the brotherhood, which he has with the Only-begotten, and the gift of the Spirit. For none can call God Father, but he who has obtained all these blessings. In a two-fold manner, therefore, he moves the feeling of them that pray, both by the dignity of Him who is prayed to, and the greatness of those benefits which we gain by prayer.

In heaven, not confining God's presence to that, but withdrawing the thoughts of the petitioner from earth and fixing them on things above.

Or; He bids us in praying beg that God may be glorified in our life; as if we were to say, Make us to live so that all things may glorify Thee through us. For hallowed signifies the same as glorified. It is a petition worthy to be made by man to God, to ask nothing before the glory of the Father, but to postpone all things to His praise." - John Chrysostom, Matthew 6:9, Catena Aurea

"Wherein it is worthy admiration, that the disciples who desire to learn of Him, know when they ought to ask Him, for they do not this before the multitude. This Matthew declares, when he says, And they came to him; (Mark 4:10) and Mark more expressly says, that they came to him when he was alone.

In saying this, He does not imply any necessity or fate, but shews at once, that they, to whom it is not given, are the cause of all their own miseries, and yet that the knowledge of the Divine mysteries is the gift of God, and a grace given from above. Yet this does not destroy free will, as is manifest from what follows, for to prevent that either these should despair, or those be remiss, when they hear that to you it is given, He shews that the beginning of all lays with ourselves, and then He adds, For whoso hath, to him shall be given, and he shall abound; and whoso hath not, from him shall be taken what he hath. As much as to say, Whoso has the desire and the zeal, to him shall be given all those things which are of God; but whoso lacketh these, and does not contribute that part that pertains to him, to him neither are the things which are of God given, but even those things that he hath are taken from him; not because God takes them away, but because he hath made himself unworthy of those that he has. Wherefore we also, if we see any hearkening carelessly, and having exhorted him to attend, he do not heed us, let us be silent; for should we persevere in urging him, his slothfulness will be the more charged against him. But him that is zealous to learn, we draw onwards, pouring forth many things. And He well said according to another Evangelist, That which he seemeth to have; (Luke 8:18.) for, in truth, he has not even that he has.

But that what He had said might be made more manifest He adds, Therefore speak I unto them in parables, because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. Had this been a natural blindness, He ought to have opened their eyes; but forasmuch as it is voluntary, therefore He said not simply, 'They see not,' but, Seeing they see not. For they had seen the dæmons going out, and they said, He casts out dæmons by Beelzebub; they heard that He drew all men to God, and they say, This man is not of God. (John 9:16) Therefore because they spake the very contrary to what they saw and heard, to see and to hear is taken from them; for they profit nothing, but rather fall under judgment. For this reason He spake to them at first not in parables, but with much clearness; but because they perverted all they saw and heard, He now speaks in parables.

And that they should not say, He slanders us as an enemy, He brings forward the Prophet declaring the same opinion, as it follows, That there might be fulfilled in them the prophecy of Isaiah, who said, With the hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand, and seeing ye shall see and shall not behold. (Is. 6:9)

Herein He points out how extreme their wickedness, how determined their aversion. Again to draw them towards Him, He adds, And be converted, and I should heal them; which shews that if they would be converted, they should be healed. As if one should say, If he WOULD ASK ME I would immediately forgive him, this would point out how he might be reconciled; so here when He says, Lest they should be converted and I should heal them, He shews that it was possible they should be converted, and having done penitence should be saved." - John Chrysostom, Matthew 13:10-16, Catena Aurea

Robert Breaker does not follow the old paths.

He follows a new modern gospel, which holds that salvation is by mental assent (trusting with all your heart) in the blood.

The Bible says the heart is deceitful.

Jeremiah 17:9

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"

The Bible says you're a fool to trust your heart.

Proverbs 28:26

"He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered."

So, how can you be saved by mentally trusting in the blood of Jesus Christ with your "heart"?

The Bible says there's two conditions, and the great old paths of history have held to this.

"3. You have always preached a lousy 'Milton Gospel' established in your hometown, (Milton, Fla.)..." - Dr. Peter S. Ruckman to Robert Breaker in 2010, https://archive.is/1Ub0P

See my article on how Dr. Peter S. Ruckman didn't mistake Breaker when he wrote that.

Offhand, it's weird how he lectures the thief on the cross for not explicitly mentioning the blood of Christ.

Nowhere does it say that the thief trusted the blood.

You don't read that anywhere. He's sitting there looking at the blood of Jesus, and he doesn't say, "Lord, I trust Your blood for the forgiveness of my sins." Instead, he says, "Hey, I want You to let me into Your kingdom." And the Lord says, "All right."

[12:58] When Jesus rose again, there was the "Who" gospel—it was all about running around and telling everyone who Jesus was, that He was their Messiah. But when they rejected Him, God called the Apostle Paul and said, "Look, I want you to go tell them to trust in what I did, not just who I am."" - Robert Breaker

Robert Breaker disagrees with Martin Luther, Jan Hus, John Wesley and John Chrysostom on the Thief on the Cross being applicable to modern day Christians

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