"Fear God, Love God, Serve God": "A Thief No More"

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."

(Luke 23:39-43)

With Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, it only takes a moment to change one's entire life, to leave a life of thievery, adultery, murder, homosexuality, idolatry, jealousy, and/or every other Sin known to mortals ... It only takes two words, "Forgive Me!" Sincere and heartfelt repentance ushers us into the realm of forgiveness, the first step on the road to salvation. The thief was saved by "repentance only" in that dispensation; after the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Church was established. And, Peter gave us instructions on the Day of Pentecost for salvation ... From repentance, we move on to being filled with the Holy Ghost and speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance; then, baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ ... and then, the same promise of paradise applies to us as was made to the one who suddenly was "A Thief No More."

Three were hung on the cross that day; Jesus Christ in the middle, and the two thieves on the right and the left. It's as it is today; one has a conscience and a heart after God and one does not. "But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left." (Matthew 24:38-41)

The thief who did not repent is burning forevermore in eternal fires. It's a choice; one thief had an honest heart, a conscience that could be stirred, an inkling of eternal destiny, a contrite spirit, a concept of Sin ... and he went to Paradise. Why is it that in a family of people, one is chosen and saved and the others resist? Why, among two thieves, does one repent and the other sneers? Why is it, in a world of people, some recognize their need for Almighty God, and others scoff saying, "Where is the sign of His coming?" It's a matter of the heart. None of us know what's in our hearts; the Bible says, "the heart is desperately wicked; who can know it?" We must pray for pure hearts, and that God will cleanse our hearts of all unrighteousness.

Repentance! It's the requirement of all flesh to enter into the forgiveness of all Sin. It must be deep, sincere, with sorrow and remorse; it is not a "lay me down to sleep prayer." When it's done right, we are made clean by the presence of Jesus Christ! We then acknowledge and accept Him as our Savior and Lord; we ask Him to fill us with His Spirit, and we will speak in tongues as the Spirit gives us utterance. Why "tongues?" It is the language of God, the evidence that His Spirit has taken control of the most evil member of our bodies, our own tongues. Then, we must be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of Sins, and we come up out of the water as new creatures, forgiven, clean, holy, and innocent! It's so beautiful!

Real repentance ... Beautiful in God's eyes!