Good Friday: Promise of Paradise

Many people to this day, sadly enough, still do not believe that there was a person on this earth named Jesus, the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16-18).

However, for those who do not believe, look back at the faith of one of the transgressors next to Jesus on the day of his crucifixion. He said, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom” (Luke 23:42). Jesus said to him, “Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

Just as the promise was made to the transgressor, so too before the end of the Last Day, all those who are called and chosen in the Kingdom of God, the faithful of God’s elect, will be given passage to Paradise to inherit the world without end (Matthew 25:31–34).

God sent his only begotten Son to this earth “to make all people see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ephesians 3:9–11).

“For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:21–22).

Now, therefore, “as the only way to get the things that are eternal is through Jesus Christ who died for us; for this purpose then we should live unto him and not unto ourselves” (2 Corinthians 5:15).