One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "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."
Enduring the pain of his own crucifixion, and knowing his life was speeding to an end -- this criminal understood his place in the big picture. The lifestyle he led, and the actions he had taken, had brought a ripe harvest of pain, suffering, and death.
He knew he deserved it, but Christ did not! And -- when he heard his fellow criminal insulting Christ, he became indignant and told him to stop.
He understood justice. Seeing this righteous man hang on the cross next to his, and suffer the same punishment as his own, was not justice -- it was just wrong!
He said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
He had faith in Christ -- and was willing, even as he hung on his own cross -- to make it be known.
And, Jesus replied, "Truly, I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."
And -- there it was -- the basis of our salvation:
