“TRULY I SAY TO YOU, TODAY YOU SHALL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE” – LUKE 23:43
We learned that the first work to be accomplished to re-establish the relationship between God and us is forgiveness of sins. Now we are about to look at the second work. This second work is represented by the second saying of Lord Jesus on the Cross. We can find in the Bible that the Lord had spoken these words with a criminal who was crucified along with Him.
In fact we know that two criminals were crucified along with the Lord. But, while one criminal continued abusing Him, the other pleaded Him for mercy. The Lord had spoken this second saying with this second criminal. The first criminal did not understand the Lord properly. He did not put faith in Him. But, the second criminal came to know at least some thing about the Lord, and kept complete faith in Him. This second criminal is a representative of every one who is going to put faith in the Lord. The promise that the Lord made with the second criminal, i.e., “Today you shall be with Me in Paradise”, belongs to every one who is going to put faith in Him. Like in the first saying where the Lord pleaded with the Father to forgive the sins of those who crucified Him, and for the sins of all human beings, so also in the second saying, the promise which the Lord made to the second criminal belongs to him, and also to all those who are going to put faith in Him.
Now we shall look to the second great work represented by the second saying of the Lord. The second saying of the Lord, “Today you shall be with Me in Paradise” means “I am giving you Eternal Life”. Therefore the second work is that, Eternal Life is given to the human beings who believe. The first work is the granting of forgiveness of sins. The granting of Eternal Life is the second work. First is forgiveness of sins. Eternal Life is only after that. What an order there is, in the sayings of the Lord! Till the seventh saying, each one is uttered in its own order. Before we finish meditating the seventh saying, we might marvel exceedingly seeing the great order in which they had been uttered. Without forgiveness of sins there is no Eternal Life. Only those who have life can have fellowship with the Living God and worship Him. Therefore Life is very important in the strengthening of our relationship with God. Jesus Christ is Eternal Life. That second criminal understood this truth. He believed and received Eternal Life.
God did not choose us to perish. Our God has no beginning. He existed always and will exist always. He is beyond time. He possesses life without an end. God’s will is that we too should be with life without an end, living along with Him, serving Him, and worshipping Him. Everlasting relationship with God will be possible for us only if we live forever. But, death entered into us due to sin. This death is a hindrance to have fellowship with God. Lord Jesus Christ was manifested to remove this hindrance. With the Cross as the witness, He is giving the promise of Eternal Life to all those who believe. It is as if Lord Jesus is proclaiming to them, “I am giving you Eternal Life. This is true. For this I do not hesitate even to be sacrificed on this Cross. My desire is strong. Death cannot obstruct it. This Cross is the witness between you and Me.”
The first criminal did not believe Lord Jesus. He heard the first saying of the Lord, “Forgive them”. But he was not able to understand the never-ending love in those words. He was not able to see the underlying great Godly glory in Lord Jesus, who appeared to be meek and helpless on the Cross. He cared only for that which he was able to see with the eyes of his flesh. He thought that Lord Jesus was incompetent and inefficient. He gave more importance to save his life in this world than to Eternal Life in Heaven. He gave heed only to the words of abuse and mockery which he heard with his ears. He felt it an insult to be crucified along with Lord Jesus.
But, at the same time, even while he was listening to those abuses, even while he was listening to those mocking words, he was not able to know that the whole creation was marveled by the love of the Son of God, and that millions of angels and heavenly hosts were marveled by the work of salvation being accomplished by Jesus Christ the Son of God, and worshipping God trembling with fear and with a resounding voice like that of many waters. He was not able to hear those voices with his spiritual ears. How good it would have been for him if he had heard the voice of the angels worshipping while he was hanging on the cross! But he was only able to listen to the voice of the evil men reproaching the Son of God fearlessly! He surrendered to the circumstances which were visible to his eyes. He lost Eternal Life. What a pitiful condition!
But, look at the second criminal. He too saw Lord Jesus hanging on the Cross meekly and helplessly. He too heard every one abusing and mocking the Holy Lord. In fact, if we see Matthew 27:44, he too insulted the Lord like the first criminal and everybody else out there. There it is written : “The robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him with the same words”. This scripture portion in Matthew’s Gospel indicates that the second criminal also began by insulting the Lord. But, later he changed his mind and repented.
May be, this second criminal might have been influenced by the first saying of the Lord. He might have thought, “How loving this person is! He is praying for the forgiveness of those who are torturing Him. This must surely be the Son of God. Until now, I have insulted Him like a fool. But now, after this wonderful demonstration of great love, I can’t help but believe what He claims about Himself. He surely is the Son of God. This is my only chance to repent. I shall plead with Him for mercy”. May be you are in a similar position. Once upon a time, you might have insulted Lord Jesus, but now you may be experiencing His love. May be now you are afraid of asking Him for forgiveness because of what you did in the past. But come to Him with boldness. He forgave the second criminal, and He will also forgive you.
Even though all the circumstances around him were discouraging for showing belief, he did not get influenced by them. With eyes of faith, he was able to see the hidden Glory of the Son of God in that body which was wounded and approaching death. As soon as he realized this, he stopped abusing Lord Jesus unlike the first criminal. The Image of God appeared to him in Lord Jesus. In that very moment he confessed his sins before the Lord. He knew and testified that Lord Jesus is righteous and without sin. He looked at Lord Jesus intently. No vengeance or rivalry was visible to him in His face, but only love and meekness.
He was able to understand at least faintly that Lord Jesus is the Great King who will be ruling the never-ending Kingdom of God forever and ever. That is why with complete faith, he was able to ask, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your Kingdom”. He knows that if he looks at the circumstances surrounding him, what he believed would be impossible to happen. But he did not surrender to the circumstances surrounding him. If he looked according to those situations, he would have thought that Lord Jesus is powerless, and that His end is at hand. All those who were there thought likewise. But this second criminal thought differently than all those people. He was able to see the Son of God with his eyes of faith. At that very moment he received forgiveness of sins, and received the promise of Eternal Life from the Ruler of Life.
What did this second criminal do to receive Eternal Life? Is he a wise man? No. He just kept complete faith in what ever little knowledge of the Word of God he had. Are you surprised thinking about what Word of God he knew? Are you thinking, “Wasn’t he a robber? What Word of God could he know?” He believed in the second-coming of Lord Jesus. He came to know that Jesus Christ is King of Kings. He confessed that he was a sinner. He confessed that Lord Jesus is Holy.
All these are the truths in the Word of God. He might have listened to these truths through somebody else. But he did not believe in any of these truths initially. That is why he began by insulting the Lord like the first criminal. But once he saw the love of the Lord for His enemies, his mind was changed. Until then he had only knowledge. But now, that knowledge mixed with pure faith. The love of Lord Jesus changed everything! It has the power to change the skeptics into great believers. Taste and see the love of Lord Jesus. Then, you will never have any doubts concerning Him.
He did not know the Word of God deeply. But still he kept complete faith in the little knowledge he had in the Word of God. That is why he received Eternal Life. Remember that deep faith is more important than deep knowledge of the Word of God. He only knew that Lord Jesus will come again a second time, but, he did not know how He will come, or when He will come, whether before the great tribulation period or after the great tribulation period (I do not mean to say that we need not know these things). But, he kept deep and strong faith in the little truth he knew.
But some are spending their time to increase their wisdom than increasing their faith. That criminal might not had read the Bible at any time. Even if he had read it, he might not have understood it properly. But somehow or the other he heard some truths about Lord Jesus. He believed the few truths that he heard with his whole heart. He himself saw Lord Jesus on the Cross. He came to know that there is Eternal Life in Him. Immediately he asked and received that Eternal Life. I do not say that, therefore we do not need to earn Bible wisdom. We need Bible wisdom very much. But, our search for wisdom should not lead us to, rivalries, and doubting the Word of God. God will be happier if we have a faith like little children than having wisdom. That is true.
This second criminal was a robber. He might have committed many thefts and murders. He might have been hated by all people. But he confessed his sins. He kept complete faith in the love of Jesus Christ. There is a lot we should learn from this robber. Are you thinking, “I am not as worse a sinner as that robber. I never committed such grave sins”? May be it is true that you are not such a great sinner. But, do you have so much faith and meekness as that of the robber? Are you able to have faith like that second criminal, that Lord Jesus is the True God and Eternal Life, even though all the circumstances in your life are against you and He looks like being helpless, not able to do anything for you?
Or, are you surrendering to the painful circumstances around you, abusing, mocking, and renouncing Lord Jesus, like the first criminal? Those around you might be abusing and mocking Lord Jesus. You might feel that your end in this world has come near. To your carnal eyes, it may look like Lord Jesus is not doing you any help related to this world. Even if the whole world becomes one and abuses Jesus, can you keep faith in Him whole-heartedly, and like the second criminal see the great Glory and plan of God? If you are like that, Jesus Christ will give you Eternal Life. Like that second criminal, you too give first place to faith and second place to wisdom. Receive Eternal Life. Receive power to worship God in spirit and truth, having everlasting fellowship and relationship with Him.
