The other Criminal
Execution by crucifixion was a capital punishment invented by the Romans. Apart from the shame that comes with crucifixion, excruciating pain (from the nails piercing through skin tissue, nerves, muscles, and bones), torture, extreme thirst, blood loss, extreme fatigue, and asphyxiation among others are part of the deal. Jesus went through these because of you and me.
Before His crucifixion, Jesus was scourged. He was brutally lashed numerous times. This left His bare body with full-thickness tissue loss. With multiple extremely painful, hemorrhaging wounds on His body, He became exhausted. The soldiers placed a crown of thorns on His head which also inflicted painful wounds and blood loss. On top of all this, they made Him carry His heavy cross and walked to Golgotha. This is nothing short of brutal torture.
In contrast to what a human's response would be to all this torture, Jesus says “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing”. Luke 23:34 AMP
He pleaded with God to count all the grievous things the people have done to Him as ignorance. He asked God to forgive them. Jesus is indeed merciful!
When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. One of the criminals who had been hanged [on a cross beside Him] kept hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us [from death]!” But the other one rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? We are suffering justly, because we are getting what we deserve for what we have done; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” And he was saying, “Jesus, [please] remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” Jesus said to him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise”.
Luke 23:33, 39-43 AMP
I could not but think about this other criminal who saw an opportunity to make peace with his Maker - he did not allow his current pain, his past, his fellow criminal on the cross and the crowd to be in the way of his salvation. Instead:
- He cautioned his fellow criminal.
- He acknowledged himself as a sinner to Jesus.
- He admitted he deserves his punishment.
- He knew he needed divine help.
- He asked Jesus to remember him.
In this season, I want to encourage you to learn a lesson from this other criminal. No matter how terrible you think your sins are, Jesus will forgive you. He came to save sinners like you. Even in His death, He identified with sinners. He was crucified with 2 criminals. The message is crystal clear. He endured shame and pain so you can be free from the torture of hell. Come to Jesus today. Tomorrow may be too late! There is no repentance in the grave.
How can I make it right with God like "the other criminal"?
1. Confess your sins to God. Romans 3:10, 23; 5:12
2. Ask that the blood of Jesus will cleanse you from all your sins. Hebrew 9:22, 1 John 1:7-9.
3. Ask Jesus to come and reign in your life.
4. Forgive yourself and move on.
Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].
2 Corinthians 5:17 AMP
5. Read your Bible and pray every day.
6. Pray that God will lead you to a Bible-believing church and fellowship with them.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I come to you today; save me and I shall be saved. Heal me and I shall be healed. Forgive me of all my sins (confess them). Have mercy on me. Come and be the Lord over my spirit, soul, and body. Help me not to go back to my old way of life - give me a new beginning. I am yours, Lord! In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen
©️ Eunice Oderinde
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