"Father, Forgive Them...", "To day Shalt Thou be with Me in Paradise"

• Father, Forgive them; for They know not what they do - The first two words of Lord Jesus Christ on Cross are about the Forgiveness of Sins, Repentance and Eternal Inheritance in Christ. The question is who is in view here? Who is being forgiven? Are the people who crucified Christ or railed against Christ are being forgiven for that particular sin? But in the eyes of God, all that matters is, either all of our sins are forgiven or none of the sins are forgiven. Why? Because, James 2:10 says, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” and it is enough to send us to hell.  Let us look deeper for the spiritual understanding of this Word on the Cross, in the light of whole Bible. Isa 53 makes it clear the astounding truth that Christ was laden with the sins of all His Elect by the Father, "for the transgression of my people was he stricken", and thus had to shoulder the unspeakable agony of eternal damnation on their behalf. We are the reason he went to the Cross. He is bearing our sins in his body on the tree. So he is interceding for His people "he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors".  His one sacrifice brought about eternal pardon for His Elect casting “all their sins into the depths of the sea”.

Luke 23:34 “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”

Isa 53:5,6,8,11,12 “But he was wounded [defiled] for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all…. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken….He [God the Father] shall see of the travail of his [God the Son] soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”

Col 1:12-14 "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:"

Mat 1:21 “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

Heb 10:11-18 “And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.”

Psa 103:12 “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”

• To day Shalt Thou be with Me in Paradise - In the Luke account God uses the word “malefactors” meaning “workers of evil”, which is a different Greek word for “thieves”. Also in Mark 15:28 quoting Isa 53:12 says,  “he was numbered with the transgressors”. We are all transgressors/sinners because the definition of sin is, according to 1 John 3:4, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law”. Here the two thieves represent the whole human race, Elect and Non-Elect typified by sheep and goats, Abel and Cain, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau. Although both reviled Jesus initially, one man represents the elect, showed genuine repentance and recognized the Savior, becomes saved, and the other represents the non-elect, who did not become saved. Non-Elect, for eg; Esau (Heb 12:16-17), Judas (Mat 27:4-5) can only show remorse/worldly sorrow, but not genuine repentance/godly sorrow. Genuine repentance is the work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of the Elect. In this account we witness the plundering of the “strong man’s palace”. As Isa 53:12 declares, Christ "shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors". The “strong man” is Satan; his “palace”, or house, represents his kingdom, where we all start (Col 1:13), that Christ vanquished at the Cross. The “darkness” and “power of Satan” that underlies an unsaved person’s life are carefully delineated in 1 Cor 6:9-11. In order to defeat Satan "and divideth his spoils", Christ had to became sin for every true Christian; and then had to suffer the equivalent of eternal damnation on their behalf. In accordance with God’s salvation program, all of God’s Elect throughout history are being “freed” from Satan’s prison, as we learn from a citation that outlines the Savior’s divine mission in Isa 61:1.

Luke 23:32, 39-43 “And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death… And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

Mark 15:27-28,32 “And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. 28And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors… 32Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.”

Isa 53:12 “Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”

Mark 3:26-27 “And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. 27 No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.”

Luke 11:21-22 “When a strong man [Satan] armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger [Lord Jesus Christ] than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.”

1 Pet 2:21-24 “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us [true believers], leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him [God the Father] that judgeth righteously: 24Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose [Christ’s] stripes ye were healed.”

Isa 61:1 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;”

1 Cor 6:9-11 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”

Col 1:12-14 “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”

Acts 5:30-31 “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 31Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.”

Eph 1:3-7 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:  4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:  5Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,  6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.  7In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”