Jesus was crucified on a cross between two thieves which gave both thieves equal access to Jesus [our Saviour]. Both could watch Jesus as He graciously gave His life for the sins of the world, but one thief joined in with the crowd and mocked Jesus, whilst the other thief reasoned that if Jesus was who He said He was, then Jesus could meet his greatest need which is salvation from sin before he died.
It took courage for this thief to defy the influence of the other thief plus the mockery of the crowd, and it took great faith for him to trust a dying man! When we consider all that this thief had to overcome, the faith of this thief was astounding. The thief was saved by grace; it was the gift of God. Like each of us, he did not deserve it, and he could not earn it, his salvation was personal and secure, guaranteed by the word of Jesus – Jesus speaking “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Jesus gave the thief forgiveness that very day, and he died and went with Jesus to Heaven, likewise, each one reading this who declares with their mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believes in their heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, will be saved – Romans 10:9-10.