For today’s forum, I am going to shock you with a lesson taught by a condemned evil-doer. Yes, you read it correctly. It is not from one of the apostles nor one of the prophets; our teacher was a condemned evil-doer and … to be emulated by us to boot!

As a matter of fact, there were two of them, and we will look at both of them, but hopefully will emulate one of them only. Have I gone “loco”? You figure it out, read on!

Luk 23:32 And two others also, evil-doers, were led with Him to be put to death. 33 And when they had come to the place called Golgotha, they impaled Him there, and the evil-doers, one on the right and the other on the left.

Yeshua’s “last mile” travelling companions to Golgotha, to be executed, were evil-doers. What a sight that was; the sinless One was accompanied by two sinfull ones. If the book of Ephesians 1:4 says:  “…even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be set-apart and blameless before Him in love,1 Footnote: 12 Thess. 2:13, we should nonetheless accept the notion that these travelling companions had been chosen, and was extraordinary in some ways, and I maintained that we can learn  important lessons from them.

Furthermore, if 2 Timothy 3:16,17 says: All Scripture is breathed by Elohim and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for setting straight, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of Elohim might be fitted, equipped for every good work… and since these two evil-doers are mentioned in the Scripture, it would be well for us to seek all these virtues – teaching, reproof, setting straight, instruction in righteousness – the end result is, we will be equipped for every good work.

Luk 23:35-38 And the people were standing, looking on, and the rulers also were sneering with them, saying, “He saved others, let Him save Himself if He is the Messiah, the chosen of Elohim.” And the soldiers were mocking Him too, coming and offering Him sour wine,  and saying, “If You are the Sovereign of the Yehudim, save Yourself.”   And there was also an inscription written over Him in letters of Greek, and Roman, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE SOVEREIGN OF THE YEHUDIM.

Those two evil-doers didn’t know who their travelling companion was, untill they heard sneerings and mockings from the rulers, soldiers and onlookers.  That was not an ideal way to introduce some one, and they both heard the same jeerings, but their reactions to this new found knowledge,  differed like night from day!

Let us read what (I call) the Stupid-one of the two said:

Luk 23:39 And one of the evil-doers who were hanged, was speaking evil of Him, saying, “If You are the Messiah, save Yourself and us.” 

Even though the Stupid-one heard, that the One he mocked might be the Messiah, but he didn’t care. He got carried away with the mob’s murderous frenzies, eventhough he himself was impaled at the stake!

That is MOB MENTALITY!

It is no difference from mainline churches’ mob mentality of these days: the law (Torah) is no longer valid under grace,  Elohim’s feasts are for the Jews and we should set ourselves apart from anything Jewish, and Yeshua allowed all meats to be eaten, etc., etc.

Today I am going to show you where Torah is in fact no longer necessary under grace! 

The second evil-doer had a completely different attitude towards the matter at hand. Let us hear what he said:

Luk 23:40 But the other, responding, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear Elohim, since you are under the same judgment?

The very first words he uttered showed us that he was the Wise-one of the two, for he had the fear of Elohim!

Psa 111:10 The fear of יהוה is the beginning of wisdom, All those doing them have a good understanding. His praise is standing forever. (Note: See also Proverbs 1:7 and 9:10).

That is the first attitude to be emulated!  Have the fear of Elohim.

They both heard that Yeshua was condemned because He said that He was the Messiah, but the way they processed the information was quite different: the Stupid-one took to jeering and mocking Him, the Wise-one showed his fear of Elohim and took off from there.

His next words were:

Luk 23:41 “And we, indeed, rightly so, for we receive the due reward of our deeds, but this One has done no wrong.”

That my friends, is a confession of guilt (sin) and 1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is trustworthy and righteous to forgive us the sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness… to realize one is a sinner and condemned to die, should make one wants to repent!

Confession of sin and wanting to repent, that was the Wise-one strength and way to salvation by GRACE!

That is the second attitude to be emulated! Confession of sin and remorse.

His next words were directed to Yeshua ha Masiach:

Luk 23:42 And he said to יהושע, “Master, remember me when You come into Your reign.”

The Wise-one called Yeshua his Master (Lord) and acknowledged Him as his King with a Kingdom. He asked to be remembered when Yeshua came into His Kingdom…after his and Yeshua’s death, of course! So he believed in Yeshua as his Saviour and in an afterlife, like us!

That is the third attitude to be emulated! Acknowledge His Lordship and Kingship.

How did our Master and King Yeshua respond to the above request?

Luk 23:43 And יהושע said to him, “Truly, I say to you today, you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

The Wise-one received Yeshua’s grace or as is POPULARLY known as SAVED by GRACE only!

And in this particular event or like it or in one’s last breaths only, one had no need to know and abide by Elohim’s law, precepts, decrees and regulations. But if one is still able-bodied, this rule does not apply.

He was SAVED by GRACE only!

He was going to enter Paradise hand-in-hand with Yeshua his Ha Masiach!

How did he come to chose to confess his sins and to believe in Yeshua as his Saviour? It all started with his fear of Elohim and this fear moved the hand of Elohim to act:

Psa 25:12 Who, then, is the man that fears יהוה? He teaches him in the way he should choose.

And he made the right choice! So should we!

Aharon e.Lim