“And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43) On the cross, Jesus spoke what is known as “The Last Seven Words”. The first saying He spoke was a prayer of forgiveness, praying for the Father to forgive sinners. The second saying was that of forgiveness to one of the two thieves that was crucified with Him. Wow! The first saying was a prayer for forgiveness, and the second saying was a declaration of forgiveness. God answers prayers!
At first, this thief like the other, cursed Jesus (Mt 27:44), but under the conviction of the Holy Spirit, he saw his own sin and need of forgiveness.
Turning to Jesus he asked Him to remember him when Jesus came into His kingdom. And Jesus replied “To day shalt thou be with Me in paradise“.
The thief was saved ONLY by his faith in Jesus, not by good works or religious rituals. He couldn’t do anything. He was nailed to a cross. He could only repent and call upon Jesus.
That day the repentant thief was saved from his sins. Jesus didn’t save him from the wrath of Rome, but saved him from God’s wrath on sin, because Jesus Himself was suffering that wrath--for the thief, for you, for me.
And today, some 2,000 years later, Jesus still answers prayers of salvation, His cross the way to enter Paradise, His blood the way to wash away every sin ever done (I Jn 1:7). Turn to Jesus and ask Him to remember you.
He will set you free from your sin-cross, forgiven and clean!
