The Last Shall Be First

By William R. Cunningham
For Sunday February 17, 2008

Introduction

Who does God accept into his kingdom?  We can easily reason in our minds that surely God would accept those who were “good” during their lives.  Surely God would accept those who were righteous, went to church regularly, or were otherwise “good” people.  However, that would not be consistent with what the Bible reveals to us as I understand it.  Sometimes the most unsuspecting people will indeed be with God forever in eternity and surely there are those who we think will make it that will not.

It is first important to remember what constitutes entry into God’s kingdom.

John 3:3 (NKJV) -- {3} Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

And

John 3:5 (NKJV) -- {5} Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

And

John 3:16 (NKJV) -- {16} For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

We enter into God’s kingdom by believing in Jesus Christ.  We enter into God’s kingdom by being born again and then we can be accepted into it.  We don’t get into God’s kingdom by being good, going to church, or whatever other religious activity you can think of.

Only the righteous can enter God’s kingdom.  Who are the righteous?  The righteous are those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ.  The righteous are those who have been justified by God because of their faith in Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:1-10 (NKJV) -- {1} Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, {2} through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. {3} And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; {4} and perseverance, character; and character, hope. {5} Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. {6} For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. {7} For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. {8} But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. {9} Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. {10} For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV) -- {21} For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Romans 4:6-8 (NKJV) -- {6} just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: {7} “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; {8} Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”

Now does this mean that our actions have nothing to do with whether or not we are saved and will subsequently spend eternity with God in his kingdom?  No. It does not mean that at all.  The righteousness of God involves the heart.  One can not be born again if it isn’t in his heart.  If it is in his hear then his lifestyle will follow.

Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV) -- {19} “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; {20} but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. {21} For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The thing here is that we never know what is in someone’s heart.  I dare say that even a righteous person will sin, but that doesn’t mean salvation is not possible for that person.  The quantity of sins does not appear to be the deciding factor.  It is therefore possible for someone to live a life of sin and put their faith in God at the end or near the end of their life.  I am reminded of a parable that Jesus Christ taught concerning this (See Matthew 20:1-16).

In the parable the landowner gave those who worked only an hour the same wages as he gave to those who worked all day.  Both received the same reward so to speak.  Those who had worked all day supposed that they would receive more since those who only worked part of the day received the same amount that they were promised.  However, that was not to be the case.  They received exactly what was promised even though they felt they should have received more.

This brings us to our lesson for today.  The last shall be first.  For the purposes of this lesson we are going to relate that to the fact that there are many people who will be saved at the latter part of their lives and some even at their death bed.

Scripture Lesson

Luke 23:38-43 (NKJV) -- {38} And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. {39} Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” {40} But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? {41} And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” {42} Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” {43} And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

The context of the above scripture passage is the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.  At this time he was on the cross and there were two criminals on both sides of him.  Let’s first describe what happened while Jesus was on the cross as it pertains to these criminals and what the possible implications are while comparing it to Jesus teaching during his ministry.

The First Criminal

One of the criminals mocked Jesus.  He said that if he is the Christ (Messiah) then save yourself and us.  Did this man really care about Jesus Christ?  No.  He tempted Jesus.  He only wanted Jesus to get down so that he would be rescued as well.  His statement suggests that he was only concerned about himself and not Jesus Christ.  We would expect a criminal to think this way.

This reminds me of what happened with Jesus as recorded in Matthew 4:1-11.

The Second Criminal

The disposition of the second criminal appears to be very different from the first.  Notice his response to the first criminals mocking of Jesus Christ.

The second criminal challenged the first.  He made the point that he was going to die just like Jesus was going to die.  He asked if he feared God.  It appears that the first criminal was making a point to the second that he was about to die and come face to face with God.  Shouldn’t he at least have been afraid enough of God to not speak the way he had.  Perhaps it would have been more appropriate considering his circumstances that he would be begging God for forgiveness.

The first criminal also confessed something very important about Jesus, which may indicate that he knew who Jesus was and what he had done during his ministry.  He made the point that Jesus did nothing wrong and therefore did not deserve to die.  This is important theologically too because it supports the premise that Jesus died for our sins, not his own.

The second criminal then goes on to say something amazing.  He asked if Jesus would remember him in His kingdom.  We have to assume that the criminal was asking for mercy of some sort.  He was asking that Jesus would have mercy on him in the afterlife.  It is unlikely that the criminal expected Jesus to come down from the cross and establish a kingdom on earth as many did.  It is more probable, given the circumstances that he expected to be dead along with Jesus, but continuing in the afterlife.  He therefore wanted Jesus to have mercy on him at that time, which presupposes that Jesus had authority to do so.  That is, the second criminal appears to have believed that Jesus was special.

This man may have been a criminal, but there was obviously something else in his heart.  He reached out to Jesus for mercy on his death bed so to speak.  He reached out after being guilty of crimes that he committed—he said that he was getting what he deserved.

Now at this point we may think that Jesus would have ignored him or at least denied his request.  After all, this man was a criminal.  The Romans typically only crucified slaves and then later criminals of the state such as war criminals or foreigners.  The Romans did not crucify Roman citizens as they considered it too barbaric (Tyndale Bible Dictionary).

However, Jesus said something much different than what we might expect. He told the criminal that he would be with him in paradise.  What is paradise?

The word paradise was original adopted by the Jews from a Persian word that mean “garden of god.”  It was used in the Old Testament to refer to a garden and the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2-3, Is. 51:3; Ez. 28:13).  It later referred more generally to a park or orchard (Neh. 2:8; Eccl 2:5; Song of Solomon 4:13).  The Jews used the Greek form of the Hebrew word for garden extensively when they translated the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek.

The word paradise began to be used to denote a place of exceptional blessedness, happiness, and delight.  It was a descriptive name for heaven (Nelson New Illustrated Bible Dictionary)

It is very probable that the criminal would have known what Jesus was saying to him.  He would have known that Jesus was telling him that he would be in a happy place after he died and that he would be with him (Jesus).  That would have been good news to that criminal.

This event suggests that the second criminal was indeed saved while being crucified with Jesus Christ.  He cried out for mercy and received it.  He would be with Jesus in paradise that same day—after they both were dead in the body.

This man was saved not because he recited a predetermined prayer of faith or sinner’s prayer.  He was saved because of the disposition of his heart.  He indeed feared God and asked for mercy.  He received mercy because he asked for it and it appears his heart was in the right place.  He wasn’t like the first criminal who was only concerned about getting down from the cross.  The second criminal was concerned about his soul and rightly asked Jesus for mercy.

We should note that both criminals made a request to Jesus, but only one received a response from him.  Both criminals asked Jesus to be saved in one way or another.  The first only wanted to be delivered from the immediate plight whereas the second was concerned about saving his soul from hell.  I suppose anyone faced with death would be concerned about their soul—or would they.

The first criminal didn’t seem to be concerned about his soul.  He wasn’t concerned about the fact that he was about to meet his maker so to speak.  Therefore, facing death is not necessarily an impetus to seek God.  Again it all points to the disposition of the heart.  Though the second man was a criminal; his heart moved towards God for mercy during his last moments on earth.

That second criminal received the same reward that any other person would receive who put their faith in Jesus Christ.  He was with Jesus in paradise and we will be with Jesus in paradise once we leave this earth.  That man put his faith in Christ because he reached out to him to have mercy on him.  He wasn’t saved in the traditional sense.  He was saved because of his heart and that is where it begins with everyone regardless of the method by which one is saved.  We all have to one way or another put our faith in Jesus Christ.  That is what millions have done and that is what this criminal did.

The last was indeed first.  The criminal received the effects of salvation just like anyone else would.  We put our faith in Jesus Christ for salvation and we are saved.  It is not about how often you go to church or how good a person you think you are.  It is about putting your faith in Jesus Christ and the reality of your conviction.  That means that our faith has to be real (in the heart) and not just something we confess with our mouth through mental ascent.

Lessons Learned

The sinner on the cross with Jesus was saved even though he was a criminal.  He asked and he received the salvation of the Lord.

We should therefore not look at our lives and declare that we are doomed because of all the bad things we have done.  Likewise, we should not look back and declare how blessed we are because of all of the “good” things we have done.  There is a credit card commercial on the television where it is asked, “What is in your wallet?”  I ask you now, “What is in your heart?”  Salvation starts from the heart.  Putting one’s faith in Jesus Christ starts from the heart?

A person could have done terrible things in their life but still end up putting their faith in Jesus Christ.  I know from the things that I have observed and read that human psychology is very complicated.  A human being isn’t necessarily the sum of their actions.  A human being is a conglomeration of their thoughts and hearts, which manifest in all sorts of ways through deeds and speech.

Therefore, we should not feel that God has abandoned us if we consider ourselves the worst of sinners.  We also should not feel as though our salvation is a sure thing because of how “good” we think we are.  What’s in your heart?  Do you believe in Jesus Christ for salvation?  Is the assurance of your salvation based on what Jesus Christ did for you on the cross?

Even if you are on your death bed after committing the worst crime, it is still possible for you to be saved.  Even if you have just done the greatest of good deeds, it is still possible that you will go to “hell.”  Check your heart, which is already established.

2 Corinthians 13:5-6 (NKJV) -- {5} Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. {6} But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.

I conclude with this scripture from the Apostle Paul.

Romans 3:28 (NKJV) -- {28} Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

Put your faith in Jesus Christ for salvation regardless of your age and former deeds.  Pursue the truth, which is Jesus Christ.  Only through him can we come to the Father and be saved (John 14:6).  Amen.