THIEF ON THE CROSS

Scripture does indeed give an account of two thieves to have been crucified with Jesus. For this had been foretold in prophecy (Mark 15:28), (Isaiah 53:12). 

There is the account that the two thieves reviled Jesus while on the cross (Mark 15:32), (Matthew 27:44). 

Yet  there is also the account that one thief joined the crowd to mock Jesus, but the other rebuked his fellow and asked Jesus not to forget him in His Kingdom (Luke 23:39-43).

Lessons from this account:

• Jesus is the true Savior 

• Salvation is for all who come to Jesus in humility.

• God's love is true love. 

• The world only offers death, Jesus offers life. 

• Man can be self destructive. 

Jesus is the true Savior.

While all this took place, Jesus displayed how true a Savior He is. He came to search for and save that which was lost (Luke 19:10), (Matthew 1:21), (Acts 4:12), (Luke 2:11), (Titus 2:13), (1Timothy 1:15). Whoever submits to Him (Jesus) He never turns away on any account. 

Jesus is unique. He is never like us humans who are gravely emotional and controlled by all and everything. He had a mission and He focused on it regardless of what conditions there were. If it hadn't been that He (Jesus) was the true Savior, there wouldn't have been the reason to save this man while He was in grave pain on the cross. 

Yet He truly understood that it was this very pain which made the meaning of Salvation. He went on to do just that.

For Jesus is larger than life in that there was life in Him to save others even as His was dwindling. There is all life in Jesus. Jesus did not offer lip service. For Jesus always goes ahead of us. On this account, we are pretty assured of victory because our Master overcame. Lesson being; it does not matter how sinful you are or have been, only one thing God wants from us; submission to Him and confession of our sins. 

 

Salvation is for everyone who comes to Jesus in humility.

Through Jesus, Salvation is available to all who come to Christ in humility. It does not matter what the magnitude of your sins is. It does not matter what your color, tribe, or nation is.

It does not matter at what time of the day, month, or year. For if it were ever so, how could this thief have been saved at this moment?! For the Son of Man came to seek and save that which was lost (Luke 19:10).

God's love is true love.

When we consider the pain and the humiliation Jesus was undergoing, how would He have had the space to save a soul? If one thing, Jesus should have been searching for ways to save His own life rather than to mind another person's life. Yet He was true to all He confessed He is. He loved us with all that He could do (John 15:13). His love is never limited by a single condition. His love remains. 

So, in all this, Jesus has proven to us His unconditional love. He has dealt the decisive blow to the power of the consequential sin. For sin is the destructive weapon the devil is clinging on. Yet by way of the love of Jesus which He has exhibited to us at the cross, the separating veil of sin is no more. 

In all the human sense, there was no way how one under such pain, suffering, and humiliation could have had the energy and the space to love another. For at the cross, Jesus has proven to us that He had everything for us and nothing for Himself. He gave His all with no reserve.

The world only offers death, Jesus offers life.

The account of the two thieves also tells us how one of them joined the crowd to mock Jesus. He must have falsely perceived that the crowd could empathize with him and thereby save him. Yet none of such happened. 

He was left to die just there on the cross. He had been condemned, yet had he given his life to Jesus, his soul would have been saved. Despite having died the physical death, the other thief saved his soul from everlasting spiritual death by submitting to Jesus. 

We ought to learn that each individual will give an account of his life before the seat of judgment (Matthew 13:39-43), (Romans 14:10-12), (2Corinthians 5:10), (1Peter 4:5). None of us will be in position or ever have the space to save a friend or a relative. Everyone will be for his own salvation. Yet we still have an opportunity to help each other live to the glory of God so we can save each other's soul. Upon this, it is imperative that we learn to account for our own lives. 

Rather we should learn not to be swayed by crowds, but to stand for what is the truth. And the absolute truth is none else but Jesus Christ. For no matter how much you wish to entertain everybody, none of them is for you. A mere man will never save a mere man. Only Jesus is truly for us all.

Man can be self destructive.

It is of us to choose between life and death, light and darkness (John 3:19). Yet we must understand that; we will suffer the penalty or enjoy the reward in regard to what decision we make while we live on earth (Romans 6:23). For stubbornness will equally be punished for (Romans 2:5). 

By submission to Christ and the seemingly simple utterance of the mouth, the one thief was saved and the other having failed to do so, was condemned. Meaning; despite having been forsaken by all, there is hope of life in God. 

While we live on earth, life and death is with us (Deuteronomy 30:15-20), (Proverbs 18:21). Despite having been pinned on the cross, the two thieves still had an option of life. Thus scripture says; don't fear he who can destroy the body and not the soul (Luke 12:4).