Luke 23:32-43
Jesus on the Cross Between Two Thieves
32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father,forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”
36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
John 17:3
Now this is Eternal Life
3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
Love is a feeling, yet it is much, much more...And forgiveness is very much linked to love...Jesus LOVED the criminals that were beside Him on the cross...We can tell that one criminal had Jesus in His heart...The other one had little or no remorse at all...Love begins with following Jesus and His teachings...Love means being obedient to God...The one criminal is with Jesus in Paradise, because He forgave Him...
Jesus died for our sins, and He died for us and our sins while loving us...It is my sins that put Him on the cross...And yet, if we believe in Him and His Father then He promises us eternal life...He forgives us through His Great LOVE...So love, like faith, and hope, show a future event happening...And that event is God giving us eternal life when we believe and follow Him and His Son...So the future of love is a future joy that we will inherent when we meet with Him in heaven...Jesus explains eternal life like this: Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent...