Consider the Malefactor

Consider the Malefactors

In one of the most profound moments in Scripture, three men hang on crosses—two criminals and the Savior of the world. One mocks. One believes. And in this tragic yet hope-filled scene, we are all invited to ask: Which one am I?

Spiritual illiteracy has quietly eroded the foundations of many churches today and has caused many to confuse tradition with truth and to replace the Gospel with man-made formulas. We make converts of our denominations, not disciples of Christ. We teach people to repeat a prayer they may not even understand and assure them they are born again. We press them into religious molds and tell them they are right with God. Often without any evidence of true repentance or faith. But what happens when someone does not fit into our carefully constructed system? What do we do when a soul comes to Jesus with nothing but belief? For that answer, we need only consider the malefactors.

When we first meet the two men crucified beside Jesus, we know little about them. Scripture gives us no names, no backstories. We do not know if they had families, jobs, regrets, or final wishes. What we do know is that they were guilty, condemned, and placed by providence on either side of the Savior. These men could be anyone. They represent all of us. The first malefactor exemplifies spiritual blindness. Though he hung next to the Son of God in his final moments, he mocked Him with hardened indifference: "If you are the Christ, save yourself and us." He did not ask for forgiveness he demanded escape. He did not acknowledge his guilt he ridiculed the only One who could remove it. This man had likely heard of Jesus before; his use of the title "Christ" suggests some exposure. But knowledge without faith is dead. He echoed the scorn of the crowd and the soldiers, unwilling to believe unless Jesus performed a miracle. And yet, how tragic it is to die mere feet from the Savior and remain untouched by His grace. It is a chilling reminder that proximity to truth does not guarantee transformation.

The second malefactor started just like the first. Matthew and Mark both tell us that initially, both criminals mocked Jesus. But something happened. Perhaps it was the way Jesus bore His suffering or the words He spoke from the cross. Somewhere along the way, conviction pierced his heart. He turned to rebuke his companion: “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly—for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” He recognized his guilt. He acknowledged Christ’s innocence. And then, in one of the most sincere confessions in Scripture, he turned to Jesus and said, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

He did not bring a religious résumé. He did not offer promises to serve, tithe, or even change. He just believed. He called Jesus Lord. He trusted Him as King. He asked only to be remembered and Jesus gave him paradise.

That dying thief received the same eternal life promised to apostles and martyrs alike, which may not seem fair to some. But the Gospel is not about fairness it is about grace. This scene is a living parable of God’s mercy: that even at death’s door, salvation is available to anyone who will call upon the name of the Lord. And Jesus, in agony, struggling for every breath, chose to spend one of His last sentences comforting a criminal. “Today,” He said, “You will be with Me in paradise.” Not someday. Not if you prove yourself. Today.

This moment reveals that heaven is not earned by religious rituals or moral performance. Heaven is received by faith. This man had no baptism, no church clothes, and no altar call. And yet, he received the full promise of redemption. His faith was genuine and his Savior was ready. So, consider the malefactor who believed. He was dying, but hopeful. Broken but repentant. Guilty, yet justified. Consider that man and then, more importantly, consider Jesus.

Consider that Jesus, though beaten, bloodied, and gasping for breath, still took time to save a soul. Consider that Jesus, who had just carried His cross through a jeering crowd, now carried this man’s hope into eternity. Consider that Jesus, who had every right to condemn, chose instead to forgive. And consider that He still does this today. He still has time for malefactors. He still has mercy for the guilty. He still saves those who believe.

You and I may never hang on a Roman cross, but we are all condemned apart from Christ. The question is not whether we are guilty. The question is whether we will believe. One malefactor rejected Jesus and perished. The other malefactor believed and was saved. You will respond to Jesus in one of those two ways. So today, I ask you to consider the malefactors. And then I ask you to consider the Savior who died between them to save us from our sins.