Common Concern: Thief on the Cross
How does the thief on the cross fit into your theology? The thief on the cross was promised to be with Christ in Paradise, and the LDS believed, Paradise and Heaven were different places and states. It shouldn't be confusing, but I will add that topic in a separate blog post soon. Meanwhile, we'll try to look up why and how was it possible.
The words of Isaiah perfectly taught us that God has different reasoning and judgement, than our intelligence or understanding.
¶ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
- Isaiah 55:8-9
It's unclear as to how the thief was forgiven in an instant with Christ declaring the thief to be with him in Paradise. Although Christ can forgive sins and heals our sickened soul, it remained a question to some as to how was it possible that way.
My straight answer is, God knows the desire of our hearts. He knows that when in times we realized the wrong thing and wanted to change but had no opportunity to do so, or perhaps we never had any chance after some circumstances. He knows what's within us and of course as a loving God, He could do whatever He Could to save His children through Christ's Grace.
Consider this from the life of Joseph Smith after the vision of the Celestial Kingdom with his brother Alvin -
5 I saw Father Adam and Abraham; and my father and my mother; my brother Alvin, that has long since slept;
6 And marveled how it was that he had obtained an inheritance in that kingdom, seeing that he had departed this life before the Lord had set his hand to gather Israel the second time, and had not been baptized for the remission of sins.
7 Thus came the voice of the Lord unto me, saying: All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God;
8 Also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom;
9 For I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts.
10 And I also beheld that all children who die before they arrive at the years of accountability are saved in the celestial kingdom of heaven. - Doctrine and Covenants 137:5-10
Do we still question God and his ways? Here is from the life of Christ, Matthew 9 -
And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.
2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.
4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?
5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?
6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.
7 And he arose, and departed to his house.
8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.
We never knew what the sick man did or what kind of sin he had. But Christ knows him, though he couldn't speak up of his desire, yet Christ knows his soul.
O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
- Psalms 139
Another good example of how God judge us according to our desire is found in this passage in Jeremiah 17:10, which says this
I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
To sum up, we never knew how God judge us and we never knew the desire of one man's heart. Only God knows you or me or everyone else that you know, even if you think someone can't do righteous deeds but God knows and the only being can judge them.
Question: So, is it possible to sin a little and end up confessing since God knows our desire?
Yes, we do sin, we are not perfect and day by day we encounter different kinds of challenges. But there's no such excuse for doing goodness or righteousness. Just as I had said, God knows our desire, and if we intend to do good things then why do it rationally on the opposite? If our intention is to do bad and may feel to have witnessed the love of God in doing good things, it would be better that way instead of desiring to do good things after every bad decision through procrastination.
27 And now, my brethren, I wish from the inmost part of my heart, yea, with great anxiety even unto pain, that ye would hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not procrastinate the day of your repentance;
28 But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering;
29 Having faith on the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive eternal life; having the love of God always in your hearts, that ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his rest.
30 And may the Lord grant unto you repentance, that ye may not bring down his wrath upon you, that ye may not be bound down by the chains of hell, that ye may not suffer the second death. Alma 13:27-30
There is no such thing as a middle ground, if your intention is to do good things, then stay true to it. We should remember that God Judge us through the desire of our hearts, understanding minds and good works.
Brethren, within the confines of whatever circumstances we find ourselves, we will always have the right to choose.
Next, with the right of choice comes the responsibility to choose. We cannot be neutral; there is no middle ground. The Lord knows this; Lucifer knows this. As long as we live upon this earth, Lucifer and his hosts will never abandon the hope of claiming our souls. - Thomas S. Monson (The Three Rs of Choice)
The simplest solution is, to do the right thing and let God do his part. We never knew how the thief on the cross receive his forgiveness, but we knew he was left there in Paradise with some other saints waiting for the final judgements. We never knew and we couldn't tell God's mind about this matter, the only thing we can do is to make the right choices.
25 ¶ Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?
26 When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.
27 Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
28 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
29 Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?
30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
- Ezekiel 18
In conclusion, whether the thief was saved or not, the main concern is to repent and have the desire to change. We don't know the full story of the thief before he was hung on the cross on the side of Christ. There could be a repentance process made or maybe no. Maybe some effort to learn about Christ and admitted his faults or something else we never know about. One thing is sure enough, Christ will forgive sins and will save us through his grace as long as we do our part.
- Jerry N. Bustillo
