Hello

Mike, I hope all is well with you and yours. I would have loved to be in Michigan for the Conference but my schedule won’t allow it this time, but I certainly won’t miss the next one.

Mike, I read one article you wrote where you say the thief who was hung next to Jesus would be in the first Resurrection, and it was very compelling. I took it as the Lord working this thief into a condition that would qualify him for this, since we know nothing from the scriptures about the life of this man and indeed if he was actually even guilty as charged. We know that God does His pleasure, and perhaps this man was being prepared for this by the Spirit outside of what we know about him, or that he was chastened in a nano second as only God could do.

I just read a post from a newcomer who may or may not be attempting to set a trap, as he posted another letter that you wrote that said the thief would not be in the first Resurrection. I can actually see merit in both answers, and I suspect the key is in the definition of “Paradise.” I know you are busy, but if and when you find time would you clarify this for me?

Hi S____,

It is obvious that God is giving you eyes to see the hidden things of the spirit. This is just the beginning of a journey for you. It is the beginning of seeing the “hidden wisdom of God.”

About a year ago I wrote a letter about the repentant thief speculating that he had indeed repented and was going to be in the first resurrection with Christ. After careful consideration of all the scriptures which speak of ‘much tribulation’ and patience and the need to have our evil passions burned out of us through a lifetime of learning, I do not now think that the thief will be in the first resurrection. Paradise is a place of testing to show us what we are made of. Adam and Eve both came to see their corruptible, weak, naked condition while in paradise. This is what will happen to the thief on the cross. He, too, will come to see his naked corruptible condition, and he will go through the same fiery trials we all must experience. Not even Christ was spared this dying to the flesh experience which takes years to achieve in us all. I do not believe that the thief has shortcut this patience-building process. Being crucified for stealing is not “running the race with patience and dying daily or overcoming the flesh. Being crucified for stealing is simply having one’s flesh taken away.”

Thank you, Mike, for answering my previous questions with patience and humility.

Sincerely,

J____

P. S. I got the first part from here “You Asked!”

Hi J____,

Thank you for your question.

It would have been a real pleasure to have had you with us in Michigan. It was a very good conference, and everyone said they enjoyed the extra time we had for fellowship. The overall message ended up being an admonition to have a personal relationship with Christ. That is all that will get any of us through the trials which will come upon us all. If you don’t know your Bible, you don’t know Christ. Both are spirit and not letter.

It seems God is humbling me in a very public way lately, and I am not complaining. In fact, I am grateful for it all.

I wrote that letter about the thief being in the first resurrection before I ever met you in Mobile. It was up only a short time before I was challenged by over a dozen people who pointed out that it was through much tribulation and a process of having the wood, hay and stubble burned out of us by “dying daily” and:

Rom 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

You read what I wrote, so I don’t need to reiterate how the thief never went through the dying daily, fiery trial and “much tribulation through which we must enter the kingdom of God” experiences:

Act 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

I don’t believe that the word ‘paradise’ is necessarily the key to understanding what Christ had promised the thief. This word translated ‘paradise’ is the Greek word paradeisos, Strong’s #3857. It appears only three times in the New Testament. Here are all three entries:

Luk 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

2Co 12:4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God

Now we know that the thief did not meet up with Christ later that day in paradise. Both Christ and the thief died that day. Look at the third entry for this word:

Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God

The “tree of life… in the midst of the paradise of God” is Christ Himself. Eating of the tree of life is nothing less than “eating my flesh and drinking my blood.” Now look at the second time this word is used:

2Co 12:4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

We are all programed by too many years in Babylon to think that these words are not for us. We are all programed to believe that only a very small part of this book is for us. That is a lie which denies that God’s Word Is, Was and Will Be. Yet Christ tells us that He Is, Was and Will Be:

Rev 1:4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace [be] unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;

Remember what Christ said about His Words? What He said is what He says about Himself right here in this verse:

Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

The ‘seven spirits’ are spiritual jargon for all of God’s spirit. It has all been given to Christ. The seven spirits are simply all of God’s Word.

Joh 5:23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

Joh 6:45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

Joh 16:15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Now, look at the context of this last verse:

Joh 16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Joh 16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Joh 16:15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

The spirit of Truth is God’s seven spirits. “All that the Father has He has given to Me…” Why am I belaboring this point of Christ being given all of God’s spirit? It is because John was “in the spirit on the Lord’s day.” Paul also was in the spirit when he was caught up to the third heaven, and anything that is done will be done “in the spirit” if it is accomplished in God’s people. It will not be done any other way. And what is that spirit? “The words which I have spoken unto you they are spirit and they are life… the tree of life in the paradise of God… the same paradise which Paul went to and referred to as “the third heaven.”

2Co 12:2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

The third heaven is the most mature heaven. A babe in Christ is wrestling against powers and principalities in the heavens. This is not “the third heavens”:

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. [The word ‘places’ is not in the Greek. What is in the Greek is that we are wrestling against powers and principalities in the heavens]

When we come to understand the Is, Was and Will Be character of Christ and His Word, then we understand that all of this is for us and will be experienced in us. Christ’s experience on the cross Is, Was and Will Be a part of the life of all of us:

Col 1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus Is, Was And Will Be common to all who are in Christ, and so will every single word of God’s Word. It Is, Was and will be a part of each of us because it Is, Was And Will be Christ Himself. Any part you or I say is not for us is a judgment we are making against ourselves:

Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Christ is not divided, so this is not a reference just to the book of Revelation. This is a reference to all of God’s Word. It is all for us, and we, like Christ and like Paul and like Peter, will see it all fulfilled in us. We will not take away from or add to it.

1Co 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Do we think this verse does not apply to the experiences of Christ and His apostles in the New Testament? Nothing could be further from the Truth. God’s Word is for us now. It was for Him and His apostles, and it will be for all men of all ages including the lake of fire. There is no part which is not “for our admonition.” There is no part which will not be for the admonition of all of mankind for all time including the fire of lake of fire:

Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Now bringing this all back to the thief on the cross, let’s look again at what Christ promised this thief:

Luk 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

These were, no doubt, very comforting words to the thief at that very moment when he and Christ were facing imminent death. But what had Christ promised this thief that is not promised to all overcomers?

Paradise, like heaven, is not a geographical location to which Christ and the thief resorted. Paradise is where Christ is. Paradise is simply being in Christ. There is no greater place to be. Paul’s experience of being caught up to paradise is not written to tell us what a special person the apostle Paul is. This, too, “happened unto him and it is written for our admonition…” We, too, are just that special to God and in Christ we, too, are caught up to the very throne of God:

Rev 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Eph 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

And where are we?

Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:

Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Christ, being in His Father, is in His people. Being in paradise is nothing more than being in Christ – the best place anyone can be.

I hope this has helped to clear up what Christ promised the thief on the cross.

Mike