TWO THIEVES — SAY IT WITH JOY

As I was meditating on Luke 23: 32-43, I was captivated by some startling similarities found with the two criminals and today’s sin-laden culture. Let us start with the Scripture that describes the conversation between two thieves that hung on either side of Jesus, and ultimately, the conversation between the repentant thief and Jesus:

Two criminals were led out with Jesus to be executed. One of the criminals who hung next to Jesus, hurled insults, “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in paradise.”

The unrepentant criminal mocked Jesus and refused to acknowledge his sin or Jesus as the true Messiah. This thief represents all who live unrepentant lives and reject God and His Word.

The repentant criminal acknowledged that he was a sinner who desperately needed Jesus. He represents those who accept and believe the truth of God’s Word, recognize their sin, repent, and ask Jesus to be Lord of their lives. As we see from the dialogue between the repentant criminal and Jesus, Jesus quickly promised the repentant sinner that he would be in paradise with Him that same day.

We live in a very flawed and volatile world, where two powers are at work. The first is Satan, who is the god of this world. He has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News (2 Corinthians 4:4). Many refuse to believe the authenticity of God’s Word and deem it archaic and not in keeping with the times of today. They don’t understand the eternal, infallible Word that tells us about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

The one true power is Jesus, who said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” (John 10:10 NIV). Simply put, Satan is still in the business of offering false promises that lead to evil, death, and destruction, just as he did in the Garden of Eden. But God, who is the author of life, offers hope, joy, peace, and eternal life.

The hard reality is that too many people who self-identify as Christians only pray on occasion and attend church when convenient. They have little interest, if any, in the Bible and live unrepentant lives as they embrace and excuse sins that are condoned by the world’s ungodly standards.

One sin that has been readily accepted by both Christians and non-Christians is fornication, which is defined as any sexual misconduct or impure sexual activity that occurs outside of the bounds of a marriage covenant. Most dictionaries define the word, fornication, as consensual sexual intercourse between people who are not married to one another. This also encompasses adultery and all forms of pre-marital sex.

Jesus addressed the corrupting sin of fornication: “For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality (fornication), theft, lying, and slander” (Mathew 15:19 NLT; Mark 7:21). Like the unrepentant thief on the cross, there are many unrepentant people who reject the truth of the gospel and live their lives according to corrupt and ungodly standards.

Jesus warned that “the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery (all forms of witchcraft), hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries (drinking and partying in excess), and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21).

According to an August 21, 2020, Pew Research survey, half of self-proclaimed Christians in America say pre-marital and casual sex is acceptable. To their detriment, too many Christians have forgotten a fundamental biblical truth that we are to “flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18 ESV).

Jesus instructs believers to run from every kind of sexual sin, including fornication: “Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people” (Ephesians 5:3 NLT; 1 Corinthians 7:2; 1 Thessalonians 4:3). Psalm 33:11 says, “The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations. His Word is timeless, and His Promises are Everlasting!’ Those who refuse to accept the full counsel of God’s Word, have boarded a sinking ship.

The repentant sinner is that person who recognizes that they are not living their life according to the Word of God, so they repent and surrender completely to the lordship and leadership of God. Even if that individual committed a sin years ago, it is never too late to repent.

It is important that I be completely transparent. When I was a young woman in the 1960s, I was not a Christian; therefore, I bought into the false narrative that having sex out of wedlock with someone you cared about or loved was “no big deal.” It wasn’t until I became a Christian in 1972, that God began to convict my heart of that sin and called me to repentance.

God clearly defines sin throughout His Word. And He goes to great lengths to show us the end results for those who refuse to repent, as well as the great gains and blessings to those who do repent. We do not want to be like the unrepentant criminal who represents an unrepentant and lost world, that mocks Jesus and ignores His Word. We want to be like the repentant criminal, for we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Thankfully, when we recognize our sin and repent, God is faithful to forgive and welcome us with open arms.

If you have in the past or are currently involved in one or more of the following sins: adultery, fornication, idolatry, hatred, heated arguments, jealousy, crude behavior or talk, outburst of extreme anger, selfish ambition, dissension, heresy, envy, murder, drunkenness/excessive drinking, stealing, lying, unforgiveness, and what is most prevalent today—sorcery (horoscopes, Ouija Boards, tarot cards, palm readings, fantasy books, movies, and cartoons that promote witchcraft, etc.) then I encourage you to say this simple prayer:

PRAYER: FATHER, I repent of the sin(s) of_______and ask for Your forgiveness. I thank you that Your Word promises that when I repent, You forgive my iniquities and do not remember my sin(s) (Hebrews 8:12). Give me strength and resolve to remain free from those things that would separate me from You. In Jesus’ name, amen.