AboutElbert Spears Expertise I have been a student of the Bible since 1974 and a witness for 18 Years.
Experience With many years of bible study as a foundation, I enjoy aswering any question that applies to the to the bible. I like intelligent questions that require sincere answers.I can not answer silly questions.
Question In the 'You can live forever in paradise on earth' book (a book used in the 1980's by the society) on pages 170 and 171 there is a discussion about the resurrection of the righteous and the unrighteous. On page 171 referring to the repentant criminal who died on the stake beside Jesus the book says that "this man did bad things. He was unrighteous. Due to the fact that this man was repentant in the last few minutes of his life should he not be referred to as being a righteous man. Would his sins not have been forgiven by Jesus?
Answer Please look closely at Page 170 and 171 again and also read the scriptures quoted. Please keep in mind that Jesus always looked for the good traits in people . We find many examples of this in the Bible where Jesus healed the sick ,and raised from the dead those who put faith in him .This man had just a short time before joined the others in making fun of Jesus -- See the following description of events --- Jesus is taken outside Jerusalem to a place called Golgotha. Large nails are hammered through Jesus’ hands and feet into a torture stake. Words cannot describe the agony as the weight of his body tears at the nail wounds when the torture stake is lifted up. A crowd gathers to observe Jesus and two criminals being impaled. Many speak abusively of Jesus. “Others he saved,” the chief priests and others mock, “himself he cannot save!” Even the soldiers as well as the the two impaled criminals ridicule Jesus.as described in the following scriptures at — Matthew 27:38- 44. Then two robbers were impaled with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 So the passersby began speaking abusively of him, wagging their heads 40 and saying: “O you would-be thrower-down of the temple and builder of it in three days, save yourself! If you are a son of God, come down off the torture stake!” 41 In like manner also the chief priests with the scribes and older men began making fun of him and saying: 42 “Others he saved; himself he cannot save! He is King of Israel; let him now come down off the torture stake and we will believe on him. 43 He has put his trust in God; let Him now rescue him if He wants him, for he said, ‘I am God’s Son.’” 44 In the same way even the robbers that were impaled together with him began reproaching him.
Suddenly at midday, after Jesus has been on the stake for a while, an eerie darkness of divine origin settles over the land for three hours. Perhaps it is this that moves the one evildoer to rebuke the other. Then, turning to Jesus, he begs: “Remember me when you get into your kingdom.” What amazing faith in the face of imminent death! “Truly I tell you today,” Jesus responds, “You will be with me in Paradise.”—Luke 23:39-43. Jesus saw good traits in this man and thereby assured him of a resurrection to life on paradise Earth.---
Acts 24:15 says , --- And I have hope toward God, which hope these [men] themselves also entertain, that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. This man will have an opportunity to prove his worthiness to enjoy forever the promises made at Revelation Chapter 21 , verses 1 through 7 , May we prove ourselves worthy of living forever in the new Earth described in verses 1 thru 7 and not be part of the group described in Verse 8.
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. 2 I saw also the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. 4 And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”
5 And the One seated on the throne said: “Look! I am making all things new.” Also, he says: “Write, because these words are faithful and true.” 6 And he said to me: “They have come to pass! I am the Al′pha and the O·me′ga, the beginning and the end. To anyone thirsting I will give from the fountain of the water of life free. 7 Anyone conquering will inherit these things, and I shall be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowards and those without faith and those who are disgusting in their filth and murderers and fornicators and those practicing spiritism and idolaters and all the liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur. This means the second death.”
