When Jesus was suffering torment upon the cross, the one thief hurled insults at Jesus (read Luke 23:39-43)
39 ¶ And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
The other condemned man even though suffering on the cross as well, came to the defence of Jesus. He acknowledged that the two of them were being duly punished for their crimes but that Jesus was an innocent man. Sad isn’t it? That a criminal being sentenced to death for his crimes could see the innocence of Jesus whereas the trained clergy of the Jewish Nation did not want to see it! The poor criminal humbly pleaded for Jesus to remember him when Jesus went into his kingdom. The suffering Jesus emphatically (use of the word “verily”) stated to the repentant criminal that “today” you will be with me in paradise. All Christian readers celebrate the great mercy of Jesus, the repentant criminal is going to Heaven that very day, but is such a supposition correct?
Let us review a few important passages that are available to us as found in the Bible.
The teachings of Jesus.
What did Jesus teach in his mortal ministry? Let us go back to the early part of his ministry as recorded by Luke (see chapter 6 verses 46-49)
46 ¶ And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.
When we read this we need to reflect on what the feelings must be that were in the Saviour’s heart at that time the great sermon was given. That there were many followers and observers there it is clearly apparent. He fed 4000 in a miraculous manner. We know that the Saviour would not perform miracles if faith were not present. Thus there must have been faith at that gathering. There must have been many who regarded him as Lord. Yet I imagine from a sorrowing heart he must have said the above. He warned that obedience and not mere lip service were required. It is also apparent that the foundation of the rock was a symbol of Christ himself. The house built thereon were the works of an obedient life of discipleship to Christ. The last verse above is reflecting a life of no action; no following the example of the Master.
Another example I draw from the Book of John chapter 6. As a background after Jesus had fed the multitude, they followed him hoping for more free food. Jesus used the opportunity to teach of his divinity and mortal mission as given by his Father in Heaven. Yet his words were hard to follow, not hard to understand, as the Jews were well versed in that mode of speech used by Jesus. The crowd were also annoyed that Jesus did not want to fulfill their expectations of a grand powerful king to free them from the hated Romans. More, much more, was expected by Jesus than for the hearers just to sit and hear. This was a signal moment where the popularity of Jesus began to wane.
66 ¶ From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
In John chapter 7, Jesus taught at the temple during the Passover festival. He gives a simple formula to his listeners to test the truthfulness of his words. He teaches them that as they follow the council he gives; the obedient followers will learn of the validity of his doctrine that was given to him by his Father in Heaven.
14 ¶ Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.
15 And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?
16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself
Towards the end of the ministry of Jesus, the Saviour, knowing his time was short with his beloved followers gave them some of his most profound parables; the talents, the ten virgins and of course the sheep and the goats. I will only focus on the last part of the last parable and look at verses 34 to 40.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
The Saviour once again teaches the expectation of obedient service to qualify for entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven, failure to comply will result in rejection from the Kingdom.
the last teaching of Jesus I want to allude to is found in John chapter 3 where Nicodemus comes to Jesus by night. The Saviour teaches two profound messages. First let’s look at the opening five verses:
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
To SEE the kingdom of God, one must be born again.
To ENTER the kingdom of God, one must be born of water and the Spirit.
Please note that this second instruction to Nicodemus in verse five starts off with a double emphasis using the powerful words “verily verily”. The Saviour does not trifle with words and commandments; he fully expects mankind to comply with them.
The mission of Christ while he was a spirit before his resurrection
What is recorded about the events of those three days when the dead body of Christ lay in the tomb? We know what his disciples did but what did the spirit of the Saviour do?
There are two passages in the New Testament where we can look:
Peter the Chief Apostle recorded in his writings the following: (read 1 Peter chapter 3, verses 18 to 20)
18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
The same apostle also recorded the following in the next chapter (see chapter 4 verse 6)
6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
So in the Spirit World there are two sections, a paradise and a prison. In this Spirit World do the spirits of the dead have full knowledge? Apparently no as they had to be taught the gospel. It appears that those ignorant or disobedient spirits are taught the gospel. Verse six gives the reason why, an ignorant person cannot be fairly judged without knowledge. Just as those who reject the gospel on earth, there are spirits who will reject the gospel in the Spirit World. So it seems there is a temporary judgement here, paradise for the obedient spirits and a prison for the disobedient and ignorant spirits. It appears that the thief could accept the message of Christ’s gospel and be part of the spirit paradise. Had the thief lived a life compliant with the gospel? I don’t know.
It is sufficient for my purpose in this article to show that the spirit of Christ and the thief were both in the Spirit World where they were free of physical suffering.
The final scriptural passage to consider is where Mary saw the resurrected Lord and wished to embrace him. The Saviour forbad her while saying something very important for us all to consider.
14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
Christ was now resurrected and as I have mentioned in an earlier article, his spirit and his body were reunited forever. Had the Saviour been to the presence of his Father in Heaven? It appears not. In all reverence I assume the Saviour was saving his first embrace for his Father in Heaven for when he appeared later to his eleven remaining apostles, he allowed them to touch his physical body; he even ate fish and honey comb to demonstrate the physical, tangible nature of his resurrected body.
Am I making a valid assumption about there being a difference between the Spirit World and Heaven?
You decide.