Hi santgem,
The criminal on the cross beside Jesus surely died before Jesus was resurrected and not even John the Baptist will be in the kingdom, because Christ had not yet been our sacrifice.
Mat 11:11 "Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Jesus Christ's sacrifice was the greatest act of love ever, but it was His resurrection by which we will receive hope of Life eonian.
1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
You posted this Scripture...
Blessed [are] they
that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. Rev 22:14
Did the thief live a life dying to self and "do His commandments?" No that is a process worked out in the life of the elect, to judge themselves, "For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God" (1Pe 4:17).
Jesus promised the thief on the cross paradise, and what will this earth be when the dead are raised and Christ is ruling? Of course it will be a paradise compared to what it is now. Here is what Ray taught about "paradise."
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,979.0.html ----
DON'T "assume" that "paradise" means heaven. Why would you do that? Is there any Scriptural justification for that? NO, no there isn't. In what way do the Scriptures liken paradise to heaven? Most theologians assume things that AREN'T there, and then teach the absolute opposite of what things ARE in the Scriptures. "Paradise" is a Persian word that means "park or garden."
There is the mention of only two primary "gardens" in Scripture: The "tree of life" (Gen. 2:9) is found in Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:9). And what else is that Garden of Eden called? Answer: "To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the TREE OF LIFE, which is in the midst of the PARADISE of God" (Rev. 2:7).
[1] The "Garden of Eden." Was that garden, "heaven?" What did we find in that garden: (1) the knowledge of EVIL, (2) rebellion and SIN, (3) a flaming SWORD, (4) the pronouncement of CURSES, and (5) the lying SERPENT (Satan--Rev. 12:9).
[2] The "Garden of Gethsemane." Was that garden "heaven?" What did we find in that garden?
(1) The Apostles DESERTED Jesus in this garden, (2) Judas BETRAYED Jesus in this garden, (3) an army of wicked elders, scribes and chief priest with clubs and SWORDS, (4) Jesus is carried away from this garden to be CRUCIFIED, and (5) This garden contained the TOMB in which the DEAD Jesus was placed.
Do any of this evils in these two paradise gardens sound like "heaven" to you? I don't care if there are NO commas in Luke 23:43. Commas do not make or break the Scriptures of God. This verse does not contradict hundreds and hundreds of other Scriptures as the Church teaches it does. That day, "today," both Jesus AND the thief, DIED AND THEY WERE DEAD.
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mercy, peace and love
Kat