The Thief on the Cross

I was driving home from my parents' house today and listening to some praise music with the kids. For some reason, I was thinking about the thief on the cross--the one who believed in Jesus and to whom Jesus said, ". . . today you will be with me in paradise," (Luke 23:43). What struck me was that the thief still died for his crime, despite being "saved" from his sins. He still paid the penalty for the sin committed before his conversion. He was not rescued bodily, but he was rescued spiritually and eternally. I guess what hit me is how often I expect that God should save me from the consequences of my sin and the consequences of living in this sinful, fallen world--the trials of life. While He does often do so, many times he doesn't, instead allowing us to experience these trials for a greater purpose. He also allows us to experience the painful results from our sin, not to "punish" us, but to teach us all the while redeeming us and turning so many of our messes into something of beauty, though we may not see it at the time. The thief on the cross died full of joy, not begging for Jesus to save him and give him a second chance at life. He knew he had done wrong and deserved to die. Indeed he said, "We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve," (Luke 23:41). He understood his depravity and was completely humble. He also understood the gift that is eternal life for he also said to Jesus, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom," (Luke 23:41). He knew he could never earn it and he knew he didn't deserve it.

This thief gives us hope because his was an "eleventh hour" conversion. He had never been baptized nor lived a single hour on the earth doing good works for God. He is the perfect example of what Ephesians 2 verses 8 and 9 talk about: "For it is by grace you have been saved though faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast," showing that good works can never earn for us eternal life. It is all grace, all an undeserved gift. The thief's greatest moment in life was one of his last: the moment he put his faith in Christ, and not performing a good work for Christ because had NO good works to speak of! What an amazing and clear-cut picture of grace!

And Jesus, in the midst of his painful and humiliating suffering still loving others before himself, still forgiving--full of grace, kindness, joy. What agony He must have been experiencing, yet what gentleness toward a sinner! It is convicting when I think about my own "suffering" and how I respond to others in those moments. Do I think of others first when I am suffering, or myself? Even in suffering Jesus put others first. That is the God we serve. That is such a picture of love. I am that thief on the cross. I deserve to die for my sins, to suffer. I have no good works to offer Jesus, yet He loves me anyway. May we never be like the other thief, the one who demanded that Jesus save them if He was really the Messiah saying, "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" (Luke 23:39). But how often do we act like him? How often do people say that if God really loved them He would do such and such for them? How often do people promise their faith only after God comes through for them? How often does our own faith waver when our prayers are not answered as we think they should be? The other thief on the cross died without faith--he was waiting to be saved physically before he would put his faith in Christ, and thus, he was lost spiritually. He demanded what he did not deserve and gained nothing while the other thief demanded nothing knowing he deserved nothing and gained everything. You see, our faith begins when we see that we can demand nothing, claim nothing, and have nothing to offer. Even our faith is a gift--for we did not choose God, but He chose us! May I be like the thief next to Jesus who died a joyful death--humble and thankful that I have gained what I could never earn!

In Christ, Laura