Luke 23:42-43 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.
It is easy to forget just how willing Jesus is to forgive us. We may struggle with the same sin over and over again to the point where we feel as if we can never overcome our struggles. Yet Jesus is so closely watching us that even before the words come out of our mouth, He is willing to forgive us over and over again.
The thief on the cross next to Jesus had watched Him suffer. He had seen with his own eyes the righteousness of Jesus and was convinced that Jesus was dying not for crimes He had committed, but for all those who would call upon His name.
The thief understood that he was on the cross next to Jesus for crimes that had condemned him to the punishment he was experiencing. He knew that he deserved his punishment and that the penalty he was paying was just. His life had been filled with so many mistakes that finally he was about to die for his many errors.
When Jesus heard the words “remember me when you come into your kingdom”, Jesus knew that the man dying next to him was a repentant sinner searching for salvation.
Jesus proclaimed words to this broken man that should forever convince us of the swiftness of God’s mercy towards us. Even when we have made a complete mess of our lives and feel as if we could never be forgiven, Jesus words to this convicted criminal prove the truth of God’s amazing grace.
In just a few moments Jesus would Himself die and descend into the lower parts of the earth to a chamber for the righteous dead awaiting the coming of Jesus sacrifice. There in what was commonly referred to as “Paradise” or “Abraham’s Bosom”, Jesus would release all those from the old testament days, until the present, to ascend with Him back to heaven.
The thief on the cross had received the forgiveness of all of his sins and had eternal life, by his simple statement of faith: “Lord remember me…”
He had not joined a church, been baptized, or spoken in tongues, yet he had salvation firmly in his grip.
Today as you walk with Jesus, remember that salvation was all God’s work and none of yours. You have the forgiveness of all your sins because of Jesus death and resurrection and not because you deserved salvation, spoke in tongues, underwent baptism in a particular way, or joined a church membership. You are saved by Grace, through your faith from start to finish.
Rob Robinson
