THE GOSPEL SIMPLIFIED
D.P. Weary
July 2025
There are those that make endless speculations about how to
get “saved,” who gets saved, what happens after you die if you get saved, what
keeps you from getting saved, and the list goes on. What is amazing is that
getting “saved” is so simple and what happens if you die after getting “saved”
is so plainly known. All one must do is look at the criminal that died with
Jesus.
[Luk 23:32 ESV] Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death
with him.
A criminal, kakoûrgos, kak-oor'-gos;
from G2556 and the base of G2041; a wrong-doer, i.e.
criminal:—evil-doer, malefactor. In other words, all mankind, sinners.
[Rom 3:10 NKJV] As it is written:
"There is none righteous, no, not one;
[Luk 23:33 ESV] And when they came to the place that is
called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right
and one on his left.
[Luk 23:34 ESV] And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for
they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments.
Even at
this point, what is on Jesus’ heart is forgiveness.
[Luk 23:35 ESV] And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him,
saying, "He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of
God, his Chosen One!"
[Luk 23:36 ESV] The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering
him sour wine
[Luk 23:37 ESV] and saying, "If you are the King of the
Jews, save yourself!"
[Luk 23:38 ESV] There was also an inscription over him,
"This is the King of the Jews."
[Luk 23:39 ESV] One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying,
"Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
This criminal represents all those that mock and scoff at and
reject Jesus and the Gospel.
[Luk 23:40 ESV] But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God,
since you are under the
same sentence of condemnation?
The other criminal however confessed that he was under a justified sentence of
condemnation and that he had a belief in and reverent “fear” of God.
[Luk 23:41 ESV] And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our
deeds; but this man has
done nothing wrong."
At this point the criminal (sinner)
publicly confessed his sin
and that the just reward was death and that Jesus was sinless and was unjustly being put to
death.
[Luk 23:42 ESV] And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into
your kingdom."
Here the criminal (sinner) acknowledged that Jesus would
overcome His apparent death on the cross, was a king of a kingdom. that
kingdom was His kingdom, and He would take His place as king in His kingdom., Then the criminal asked for forgiveness and to be
remembered by this King Jesus when He returned to His kingdom.
[Luk 23:43 ESV] And he said to him, "Truly, I say to
you, today you will be
with me in paradise."
Jesus simply responds that this criminal (sinner) would
be with him that very day in a place called paradise.
Paradise: "Paradise
(paradeisos), a Persian word meaning 'garden, park,' was used in the Septuagint for the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:8). It
then became a type of the future
bliss for God's people in Isaiah 51:3…In the
present passage it represents the state of bliss which Jesus promised to the criminal directly after
death." (Pate)
How does anyone “get saved” from death and have an eternal,
blissful life with Jesus after death? Ask the criminal that was crucified with
Jesus.
First “fear God.”
Know and believe that there is a righteous God that does judge sin and imposes
a sentence of death on all (which is all mankind) convicted of sin.
Second, publicly confess that you
are a sinful being and deserve the sentence of death. Believe that Jesus was
sinless and that He would exist beyond his death on the cross (be resurrected).
And believe that He is who and what He said He was; the King of the eternal
Kingdom of God, the Son of God, God incarnate.
Then simply ask for forgiveness and
to be “remembered” by Jesus.
Then Jesus says to you, “Today you
will be with me in spirit and the monemt you die you will be with me face to
face in an eternal state of bliss - Paradise.”
[1Co 13:12 NKJV] For now we see in
a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall
know just as I also am known.
Who does not “get saved?” Those who mock, scoff at, and
reject Jesus’ love and His free gift of forgiveness. Don’t do that. Eternity is
at stake.
[Act 4:12
NKJV] "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name
under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
