Criminal Choices

Nº 350

April 15, 2025

Learn to know Christ and Him crucified. Learn to sing to Him, and say, "Lord Jesus, You are my righteousness, I am Your sin. You have taken upon Yourself what is mine and given me what is Yours. You have become what You were not so that I might become what I was not." - Martin Luther

Jesus hung on a gruesome cross between two guilty felons as His sinless life ebbed out of His tortured body. Suspended between heaven and earth, Jesus paid the penalty for their sin and ours.

One robber mocked Jesus to the very end, but the other saw Jesus as his only hope.

Luke records the account.

“One of the criminals. . . hurled insults at him: “Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “. . . 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)

Joyously and victoriously, the story of Easter flows through the cross and into an empty tomb.

Those two criminals represent all of humanity. Each of us stands guilty and deserving of punishment. Because of Christ’s victorious Easter we have hope. Like the first robber, we can reject Jesus’ merciful gift of forgiveness and eternal life, or like the second, we can recognize our hopeless state and accept God’s forgiveness and life evermore.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President