Legacy of the Other Criminal

But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." Luke 23:39-43.

Esau, a rather narrow sighted man, sold his birthright for a meal of red pottage. When he missed his father’s blessing, he wanted a second chance, but could not have it. Scripture informs us that Esau was so hurt, that he cried profusely. But his tears could not retrieve his loss.

Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears. Hebrews 12:17.

The children of Israel, in the wilderness, listening to the faithless babble of the twelve spies, turned back at Kadesh-Barnea and, afraid of the giants of the Promised Land, refused to enter. And when God sentenced them to death outside of the Promised Land of Canaan, they wanted to change their decision, but it was too late, and their fate was sealed.

How often it is that men and women, after they have recklessly exchanged blessings for curses, or carelessly abused half their lives, desire another chance. There are many today, who are locked behind prison walls, some slaves to addictions, others bogged down to early with the responsibilities of raising a family, still others suffering the trauma of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases; all passionately wished they could have another chance to correct some wrong decision or to make crooked paths straight. No truer words were ever written than the poetMaud Muller’s:

“For of all sad words of tongue or pen,

The saddest are these: “It might have been!”

But blessed be the name of the Lord, God’s grace does give us another chance. When Jesus was crucified, He hung between two thieves, one crucified on the right and the other on the left. Strangely, they joined in the mockery of the chief priests and scribes and elders who shouted, “He saved others,” they said, “but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.” Matthew 27:42. Then, we are told in Matthew 27:44, “In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.”

But I think that as the thieves hung there, memories flooded the heart of one of the dying criminals. Perhaps, the scenes of a lifetime flashed before his eyes and he remembered all his misdeeds and evil acts. We wonder what must have been the experience of that dying malefactor as the blood dripped away from his body; as his tongue grew swollen and his naked body tormented with pain. Did he think about his life of sin; the warnings of his mother whose words he ignored; the Scriptures he had heard in the synagogues, the teachings of the Rabbis about the coming Messiah, the Prince of Peace, who would restore David’s kingdom and sit on David’s throne? Did memories, those precious and yet agonizing memories, haunt him?

Perhaps so because suddenly, when death was near, this thief had ceased to scoff at Jesus. He stopped shouting insults and abruptly turned to his criminal companion in death and said, “Don't you fear God, since you are under the same sentence?” And he added, “We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then with despair mingled with hope, he turned to Jesus and said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” It is obvious this man longed for another chance and blessed be the name of the Lord, he received it. “I tell you the truth today, you will be with me in paradise.”

Christ takes each sin, each pain, each loss,

And by the power of His cross

Transforms our brokenness and shame

So that our lives exalt His name.

~ D. De Haan

What insights can we glean from this poor lost dying criminal who came to Jesus in the terminal midnight of his life?

One of the most outstanding things we immediately notice about this other criminal is that he, like the other, was dying on the cross. Both, regardless of age, race or creed; regardless of their former social status, economic condition or goals in life; both were now helplessly dying on a cross, slipping slowly away into everlasting judgment.

But there was something different about this third thief. This thief was at last able to look at himself and admit that he was exactly where he should be. He was a poor lost sinner about to descend into Hades and he acknowledged that he deserved it. He made no excuses, he put the blame on no one else, and he offered no alibis or rationalizations. He simply and honestly confessed that he was an unworthy sinner.

The difficulty experienced by some of us is that in our pride we cannot accept who we are, poor lost sinners except for the grace of God. Much of the hypertension and neurosis of our times come from the failure of people to live with themselves, to adapt to themselves, not their environment, but to themselves. Many have failed to learn that we must live in harmony with ourselves and the only way this can be accomplished is to face the ugly facts about ourselves. In order to live peacefully and harmoniously with ourselves we must be honest with ourselves. Alibis, evasions, projections, rationalizations will keep us in the clutches of sin and doom us to eternal damnation. How can anyone be saved who does not admit he is lost?

I remember a pastor friend saying that before we can get people saved, we must first get them lost. This is true. The first order of business in the church is to help people become aware of their lost-ness. To discuss salvation without an explanation of sin is an exercise in futility. No one ever gets saved until he knows that before God, we are as filthy rags. It was only when the prodigal son was genuine with himself with a frank and merciless honesty, could he resolve, “I will set out and go back to my father.” Then, and only then, could he finally say, “I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”

The one thing the Bible repeatedly keeps before us is that to be right with ourselves, we must get right with God. When we see ourselves as we really are, are ashamed of ourselves, have difficulty accepting ourselves as we know we are, we can be sure of this one thing; God will accept us. In fact, this is the only condition in which we are acceptable to God.

Understanding that God loved sinners then as He does now; Jesus saves people now as readily and quickly as He saved them then. The plan of salvation has never changed and never will. So the dying thief found God’s mercy because he, unlike the other, was a confessed sinner.

The dying thief proves that the most evil sinner in the world can be saved if he will only come to Jesus. Paul said in Timothy 1:15: “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.” Jesus Himself said inLuke 5:32: “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

And so we know that salvation is not predicated on church membership or attendance. If God demands church membership before one can be saved, then the dying thief had no chance. If speaking in tongues are part of the plan of salvation, then this thief is lost because it is nowhere recorded that he spoke in spiritual languages. If baptism, in and of itself, means salvation, then this thief cannot be saved. There was no way he could be immersed in a pool of water and no one sprinkled water on his brow. If baptism is essential to salvation, the poor thief is lost and Jesus gave him false hope. This third thief was not confirmed. He did not learn any catechisms. He did not take any solemn vows. So what we have here is an unconfirmed, un-baptized, non-speaker in tongues, non-church going but saved dying criminal.

I think this truth is so clearly recorded in Scripture because God wants us to realize and recognize the fact that it is only in the heart that men can turn to Him and that outward forms and ceremonies have nothing whatsoever to do with the SALVATION He offers. They may be acts of obedience and outward signs and symbols of our salvation and new life in Christ after the fact of redemption, but they play no role whatsoever in obtaining forgiveness and mercy from God. Baptism, whether a spoonful or a tank full, cannot wash away the black tar of sins. It takes the red blood of Jesus upon the heart.

The clear teaching of the New Testament is that it is faith in Christ Jesus and Him alone that saves. At least sixty times the New Testament states that salvation is received by faith with no mention of baptism. Just as circumcision never made anyone a Jew, likewise baptism does not make one a child of God. Both were and are acts of identification not salvation.

Perhaps we should also remind ourselves that good works have no part in salvation. If salvation depended on good works then this thief had no hope. He will never lift a finger to perform any work and he will never give a dime to God’s causes. He will never preach a sermon or witness to the world, but blessed be the name of the Lord, he could do one simple thing: after acknowledging his sins, he turned to Jesus and said, “Lord, when you come into your Kingdom, remember me.”

Salvation is not the long drawn out process many would have it be. It does not involve any waiting, or pleading or probationary period. All that is required is to call on God in a penitent spirit and discover He is “the Lord, mighty to save.” Amen.