Monday • May 21
The Thief on the Cross and the “Everlasting Gospel”
In Revelation 14:6, the message to be proclaimed to the world is “the everlasting gospel”. It’s a message of hope for people in a world that, in and of itself, offers no hope at all.
Amen! When Adam sinned, there was no hope. But, while still in the Garden, Jesus uttered the words "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed." Genesis 3:15. There was none when Christ spoke these words in the hearing of Adam. Not all will receive this enmity towards Satan and sin. Unless reconciled with God, man remains at enmity with God and the truth. How often do we hear this? How many understand the foundation of our faith? Sadly, many think they are saved when in fact they are not. They do not hate sin enough to quit sinning. The promise of enmity towards sin is fulfilled when we love Jesus with all we are and all we have. When we surrender self to Him, we then are filled with love for God and love for man, even our enemy. I pray that the lesson speaks this plainly of the power of grace to transform the life at conversion.
Did the thief on the cross love Jesus supremely? Was he converted on the cross? Were his motives then perfect? Was there more needed for him to enter heaven? He was a "baby" Christian, but was his moral character perfect? Did he sin on the cross after conversion? Was he tempted beyond what he could bear? Was he a partaker of God's divine nature while hanging on the cross? Did he hate sin before he died?
Read Luke 23:32-43.
23:32 And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.
23:33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
23:35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided [him], saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.
23:36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,
23:37 And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.
23:38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
23:39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
23:40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
23:41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
23:42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
How does this story reveal the great hope of the “everlasting gospel” for all sinners?
Death bed conversions are rare. But, here we read of one such conversion. The thief was transformed in character and Jesus tells us that he will be in heaven.
Writing about the thief, Ellen G. White said that though not a hardened criminal, he had been “seeking to stifle conviction” about Jesus, and so “had plunged deeper and deeper into sin, until he was arrested, tried as a criminal, and condemned to die on the cross”. — Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages , p. 749.
Yet, what happened to him? As he hung on the cross, the thief got a glimpse of who Jesus was, and so he cried out: “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.” Luke 23:42 .
And how did Jesus respond? Did He say: Well, friend, I’d like to help you, but you should have not stifled your convictions by plunging deeper and deeper into sin? Did Jesus quote one of His earlier sermons: “except your righteousness shall exceed [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matt. 5:20. Did Jesus, in any way, bring up the thief’s past mistakes?
No. Instead, Jesus turned to this criminal, this thief with a faulty character who had nothing to offer in the way of righteousness and who earlier had been cursing him (Matt. 27:44) . Seeing him as a new man, Jesus said (basically): I am telling you, right now, I am giving you the assurance, right now, that your sin, your crimes, your faults, are forgiven, and thus “thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).
"A faulty character"? What does this mean? Does it mean the thief was not sorry for his past sins? Does it mean he was not repentant? Does it mean he was not changed in character? Was he not in a converted state when Jesus told him he would be in heaven? Was there yet something he needed to do in order to enter heaven? Or, was he the same man he was when he was hung on the cross? If he was changed, what changed him? And if he was changed, what was changed if not his character? How important are these questions and the answers to them? Do we want to leave church members in an unconverted state, believing they are rich and increased with goods, when in fact they are wretched, and miserable, and poor, blind, and naked? If we believe the thief on the cross was not transformed in character when he loved Jesus with the whole heart, then we are in great danger of being lost. He was indeed repentant for his past sins, therefore he was converted when Jesus told him he would be in heaven. He was a changed man, he was converted, self was dead and he was a new creature in Christ.
Was there still room to grow in character? Absolutely? There are many converted Christians who do not keep the Sabbath. There are many converted Christians who eat the wrong food. But, there are no converted Christians who have not been changed in moral character. All converted Christians are filled with the Holy Spirit and manifest all of the fruits of the Spirit. Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance, not one of these is missing. This moral character is not faulty. It is perfect, yet there is still room to grow.
Here is the “everlasting gospel”, the foundation of the first angel’s message. Without this truth, nothing else we teach about the law, the Sabbath, or the state of the dead matters. What good are these teachings without the “everlasting gospel” at the heart of them all?
What is the "everlasting gospel" being taught here? Was the thief transformed in character or not? Was self dead? Was he "perfect" in his motives? What does Genesis 3:15 promise to all who love Jesus supremely? Will the converted Christian be tempted beyond what he can bear? No, not according to Scripture. Then he has been transformed in character, has he not?
What hope can you take for yourself from this story?
It is not an assurance of salvation unless we have turned from sin unto Christ. If we are not truly repentant, then we have no salvation. If we do not love Jesus with the whole heart, then we are not converted. If we are not filled with the Holy Spirit, then we have no salvation. "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded [is] death; but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace. Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." Romans 8:5-9.
Are we walking in the Spirit, or in the flesh? Is there a difference in character between the two?