The thief on the cross

In a moment of desperation and realization of his own sins, the thief on the cross turned to Jesus and uttered the powerful words, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” With this simple yet profound plea, the thief acknowledged Jesus as Lord and Savior, expressing his faith and repentance. In that pivotal moment, he humbly admitted his wrongdoing and placed his trust in Jesus for salvation. And in response to this genuine display of faith, Jesus assured him of his place in paradise. This interaction serves as a powerful reminder that no matter how far gone we may feel or how grave our sins may be, it is never too late to turn to Jesus for forgiveness and redemption. The thief’s words exemplify the power of faith and prayer in receiving salvation from the one who came to seek and save the lost.

Freewill

God has given mankind the free will to obey or disobey him (Col.3:17). This started in the garden of Eden with Adam and Eve and then their children Cain and Abel (Gen.2:17; 4:7).  Ultimately people have to desire to change themselves. We can try to influence them for good but we cannot make them change.  God and the devil both seek to influence man, in totally opposite directions. God seeks to influence for good and the devil attempts to cause mankind to sin. The devil appears to be more direct in his appeal to man, while God works through mediums such as the word (Gal. 6: 1; Jn. 6: 44, 45). Also, on the surface, doing evil requires less effort than doing right (Matt. 7: 13, 14).