It was 2000 years ago, Jesus was led out to be crucified on the cross of Calvary and the two criminals were also with Him that which had foretold by the Prophet Isaiah that Jesus would be numbered with the transgressors is fulfilled.
Jesus was mocking by the Jewish high Priest, religious leaders and Scribes including the two criminals. One of the criminals was mocking Christ, if you are Christ, save yourself and save us too. But the other criminal has a change of heart even though his fellow criminal continues to mock Jesus Christ, he grows silent and observing what the Priest, religious leaders and scribes and his fellow criminal are doing at that moment and become more silent, and then he open his mouth and uttered words and rebukes his fellow criminal. Do not you fear God? Seeing you are in the same condemnation, and we indeed justly, for we received the due reward of our deeds, but this man hath done nothing amiss. A great change of heart takes place in this criminal. He confesses his sinful life and even he acknowledge that Jesus is an innocent one. He starts to defend Christ what actually was happened to the heart of this cruel criminal? He was repenting. The Holy Spirit was working. He was deeply convicted for his sins that he had committed, right from the cross he hangs he saw great crowd along with the soldiers surrounding them with spears and hammers in their hands.
Now he had no hope to live longer, so realized the depths of his sins, perhaps he remembered all things he had learned about the Messiah suffering and would be mocked by the high priest and religious leaders. At the moment on the cross, the Holy Spirit led him to repent and to believe that Jesus who is hanging between us is the Messiah, and said unto Jesus, “Lord remember me when you come into your Kingdom”, though the world had not shown mercy upon Jesus yet He had shown mercy to the wicked criminal and said, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Here is where he (the criminal) confesses his sin and received salvation from Christ at the last hour of his life. The greatest love of God, Christ displayed on the cross of Calvary.
Dr. Khwan Leo Gangmei. Th. D.
International Theological College & Seminary
Dimapur: Nagaland
