The Word of Salvation
3/5/2023
"One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, 'Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!' 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, 'Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.' 42 And he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' 43 And he said to him, 'Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise'" (Luke 23:39–43). [1]
COLLECT OF THE DAY for The Second Sunday in Lent:
Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities that may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts that may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen (ACNA 2019 Book of Common Prayer).
(We typically read the prayer for Ash Wednesday throughout Lent along with the Collect of the Day).
COLLECT OF THE DAY for Ash Wednesday:
Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made, and you forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen (ACNA 2019 Book of Common Prayer).
Repentance and Faith
Sometime long before the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, two men became thieves and scoffers. These men were eventually captured and faced execution at the hands of the same Roman soldiers who crucified Jesus Christ. Mark 15:32 and Matthew 27:44 describe two robbers (or insurrectionists) crucified with Jesus, one on his right and one on his left. Both of these men hurled insults at Jesus along with the crowds.
But at some point during the crucifixion, one of them, who has become known simply as "the thief on the cross," had a change of heart. By God's grace, through the Holy Spirit, he recognized something unique about Jesus of Nazareth. He recognized that this man had done nothing wrong (Luke 23:41). But more than that, he recognized that there was something more to this man. He recognized that Jesus was a king and that his death would not be his end, but that he would rise from the dead to inaugurate a kingdom where someone like him, a repentant thief and scoffer, would be welcome. Perhaps he heard Jesus ask his Father to forgive those abusing him and found hope for his own soul.
The evidence of this unnamed thief's regeneration and faith showed itself in three actions. First, he turns away from his sin. He rebukes his fellow thief for not fearing God (Luke 23:40). He forsakes his scoffing and rebukes the scoffer. Second, he ceases to malign Jesus and begins to defend Him. He knows that he and his fellow thief deserve their punishment; Jesus does not. They were reaping what they had sown; Jesus was reaping what others had sown (Luke 23:41). Third, he cries out in faith to Jesus for salvation, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42).
Assurance of Salvation
How did Jesus respond to this cry of faith from this man who had so recently derided him along with the crowds and the religious leaders? He did not demand that the man grovel. He did not demand more evidence that his faith was genuine. He did not deride the man for his life of sin leading up to this moment and consign him to his fate. Jesus spoke a word of salvation. He said to the man, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). What unspeakable comfort to be offered assurance of salvation at this late hour after a life of sin! What joy to receive the promise of the Savior's presence on the other side of only a few short hours of agony! What inexpressible peace to know, that on the other side of death, his Jesus would be waiting to receive him in Paradise!
Application
First, Jesus has access to the Father and opens access to the Father for all who believe in him (Luke 10:22). Perhaps, like this unnamed thief and scoffer, you have lived a life of sin and have come face to face with the Savior who is ready to forgive. Perhaps you have been trusting in Jesus for a long time but you hang on to sin from your former life. Perhaps you hang back because you feel you must gain some distance from your sin before coming to Jesus or you must clean yourself up first. Consider these words from "Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy" by Joseph Hart: "Let not conscience make you linger, nor of fitness fondly dream; all the fitness he requireth is to feel your need of him." Jesus stands ready to forgive, flee to Jesus and hear the words of salvation that assure you that on your dying day, surely you will be with him forever.
Second, Jesus has been raised from the dead, so we too can have true assurance that we will be raised from the dead with him. Not only will he keep us in our dying day and walk with us through the vale of death, he will grant us the resurrection of our bodies so that we can live forever with Him in the New Heaven and the New Earth where sin and death will be no more.
Maranatha, come Lord Jesus.
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[1] The location of Paradise is a contentious issue. Most prominently in recent debates, Wayne A. Grudem has argued against the view that Jesus descended into Hades and Matthew Y. Emerson has argued in favor of it. Both men are fine scholars and I respect both, however, I am more convinced of Emerson's view. In brief, 1.) Hades is not Hell (see Rev 20:13–14). Hades is temporary. Hell is permanent. 2.) A biblical cosmology can be described as Heaven, Earth, and Under the Earth. Under the Earth contains Hades/Sheol, Abraham's Bosom/Paradise (Luke 16:22, Luke 23:43), and Tartarus (2 Peter 2:4, Jude 6). 3.) A biblical anthropology views man as a composite being made of body and soul, which are separated at death. Before the death and resurrection of Jesus, the righteous dead depart to Sheol (Psa 6:5, Psa 30:9). After the death and resurrection of Jesus, the righteous dead pass directly into the presence of God (Luke 23:43; Phil 1:23; 2 Cor 5:8). While there are some difficult to interpret texts often used to support Jesus's descent into Hades, Acts 2:25-28 and Psa 16:8-11 present the clearest affirmation of this doctrine. Jesus's resurrection meant that he was not abandoned to Hades. The converse is that had he not been raised from the dead, he would have been abandoned to Hades. For a fuller treatment of the descent of Jesus into hades, see my introductory treatment on the topic Not Abandoned to Hades.