Is This Fair?

“I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”--Luke 23:43

We don’t know much about the men crucified with Jesus, one on his right and one on his left.  Matthew and Mark call them robbers, Luke and John:  criminals.  But whatever their crimes, they were guilty of them and they were heinous enough to merit the most notorious form of execution devised by man.

As the gospel recounts:  “One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him:  ‘Aren’t you the Christ?  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, ‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.’”

 

"But that isn't fair!" some may say.  "Where is the justice in that?"  After all, this guy is no good, right.  He is a bad person, undeserving of heaven, just look at what he has done. 

 

But, wait a second.  What had Jesus just said to all the "good" people just before all this?  You know the ones.  The religious authority who very carefully observed the law and did everything "right."  The soldiers who were just doing their job.  Pilate, who handed Him over to the crowd just to get Him off his back.  The crowd of righteous people who shouted "crucify him!"  Jesus pleaded that they be forgiven:  "Father, forgive them, they do not know what they are doing."  If his grace extends to the "righteous" who have placed him on this cross between these two men, why would we think for a second that it wouldn't extend to the "sinner" who pleads for mercy?

Jesus response should be a comfort to us.  This man did not plead his works or any righteousness of his own.  How could he?  He had wasted away his life in crime and was now receiving the just reward of his deeds.  If ever there was a testament to the fact that salvation is by grace through faith and not by works, this is it!  Salvation is not earned, but given—the debt paid in full by Jesus on the cross!  Instead of wondering how this criminal could be shown such grace, let us marvel in the fact that God’s grace is so rich to include him—and even to include us, whose souls are also stained with sin and crying out for a savior.  As one church father observed, “I do not ask for the measure of Paul’s grace.  I ask not for Peter’s portion, but I fervently beg to receive what on the cross you gave to the thief.”

Let us hold to this truth that there is nothing we can do to save ourselves.  Let us realize what good news that is!  We cling to the cross, we hold on to Jesus in repentance and humility and say, ‘remember me, Lord!’ and in response he says ‘you will be with me in paradise.’