And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”( Luke 23:43)

The Ultimate Victory is Eternity with Jesus Christ

When Jesus hung on the cross theirs two thieves also hung on the cross. The sense of hopelessness caused one of the thieves to bark at Jesus in derision. One of the criminals who hung there heaped abuse on Him. “Are You not the Christ?” he said. “Save Yourself and us!”( Luke 23:39)

The other thieves saw things differently. He had heard about Jesus and he corrected the other man. But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? “And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” (Luke 23:40-41 ) The man turned to Jesus And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” (Luke 23:42 )

Many people had abandoned Jesus, and many had betrayed Him. This man’s simple request must have sounded gratifying to Him. He turned to the man and promised, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”(Luke 23:43 )

Jesus didn’t go into the afterlife. He didn’t bring out charts and graphs, explaining what happens to the soul and the spirit when a person dies. He didn’t try to define terms. He simply spoke an unmistakable, clear promise that because the man believed, he would be in paradise that very day, the moment he died.