Skeletons Arising - Part 1

God is Almighty. Christians trust God at least for one thing - eternal life. Face it;  if you're are a Christian what pulled you toward God is the thought of living forever! Ironically, since we are our own gods, we must hang them on the cross alongside Jesus. The contrite thief on the cross represents us. Hanging there on the cross, his god was about to die but was powerless to do anything about it. He looked over at God Himself bleeding for him, surely emanating divine love, and trusted Jesus to save his wretched soul.

Right there before he died, the thief was "born-again"!

Luke 23:32 And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. 34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. (One ridiculed Jesus belligerently, and was chastised by the other). 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Here is the best example (I'm sorry, Nicodemus), of a sinner being born again. The focus was not on his death, but him remaining alive! The only difference between the contrite malefactor and me is that he was not a "new person" for long. He was reborn, died, and glorified in a few moments. The path he walked was short but for him it was certain. He saw that Jesus was his only Way to eternal life, and he chose that Way without thinking twice! He submitted his own god as he was on his cross, and soon after, his soul was renewed and he was in heaven.

I would bet that the faith of the thief came by hearing. I bet he heard of Jesus's miracles, and determined that this innocent man, was/Is indeed God. I bet that he heard about the resurrection from the Pharisees because the people were forced to listen!

The power of God is sufficient to save into paradise - the one He Created, then God is powerful enough to Create the world, the universe, and the space it's in! If the thief had doubted the power of God in Jesus Christ, he would not have been saved. Not only does God have the power to save but to resurrect. You see, why be saved if one is not going to live forever? We are saved from eternal death! The resurrection is the life - eternal life. Right now the thief no longer exists -  God "forgets" that. Now Mr. Thief is a royal priest in the Kingdom of God, just waiting on the general resurrection where his dust shall rejoin his mind and soul. He will be made whole again. That's for what all Christians await.

In the pseudopigraphical The Book of Adam and Eve, after they were sent out into darkness, they longed to return to the light in the Garden of Eden. Therein, their eyes were "bright", and they were not hindered by darkness, clouds, nor barriers of any kind. They saw the supernatural as plainly as the natural! They both longed for a return to Paradise. Incidentally, Paradise isn't lost. They know where it is. They come to its gate, and awaited entry. Just as Jesus died, the cherubim extinguished the flaming sword for Adam and everyone else. Jesus was the Way back into paradise, and Adam returned to the Garden five and a half "days" (5500 years) after he was cast out!

Just as Adam longs for paradise, the life he once had, we too long for the same paradise. My contention is that Paradise is not lost - it can only be seen again through "bright" eyes. Those are the spiritual eyes of glorified souls. Yes, I'm saying that the Garden of Eden is paradise in heaven, and just as Jesus ascended, do did the Garden. (That is my conjecture, and appears to be congruent to the pseudopigraphia which I read after my views were developed).

Adam died. He knew exactly when he would return to paradise. So do I for myself! From the time Adam sinned until his return was 5500 years. For the thief on the cross, it was that day! For me, it will be the day I die that I'm saved from destruction. My soul will go to Paradise where both Adam and I will await for our bodies to rise from the dust.

The Pharisees believed in the resurrection  (Acts 23:8). They were the Jewish religious leaders. Why so? Because their scripture told them so! Their own nation was resurrected, and those few Jews with "bright" eyes knew what that meant for them. (Tomorrow we will look at what convinced them).