July 9, 2025 - Luke 23:43 - "Heaven's Glory"

Luke 23:43

"And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise."

When many talk of Heaven, they speak of family, friends and former acquaintances with whom they hope to spend eternity. While it is true that there will be recognition of one another in glory, yet if any are there, it won’t be because of our relationship to each other. Rather, it will be uniquely because of the LORD Jesus and His shed blood and God’s imputed righteousness for those whom God the Father decreed should be His children and whose adoption and justification the LORD Jesus purchased by His death on the cross. This is why our LORD was able to say to the thief on the cross, “To day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise.” When Christ died, the thief on the cross accompanied him to Sheol, the place of the dead. After three days and three nights in Sheol, He arose from the grave and took with Him the souls of all of the elect who had awaited His coming, including the thief. He took captivity captive, leading them into glory (Ephesians 4:8) where heaven’s Glory is Christ, the Lamb slain (Revelation 5:12).

A second reality in Heaven will be that our sins, troubles, and tribulations will be remembered no more. Isaiah 65:16 states, “...because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes.” This prophetic Word foresaw the putting away of the sins and troubles of the LORD’S people that would be completely and legally erased when Christ laid down His life at the cross. So complete was His work in paying the entire sin debt that the Holy God declares, “...their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” (Hebrews 10:17)

The difficulty for us is that in our flesh, our sins and the memory of them stick to us here and now in our hearts and minds, like flies on fly paper, "For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me" (Psalm 51:3). While they are no more in God’s view because of Christ’s finished work at the cross, yet, while in this flesh we are constantly reminded of them. Yet, God in mercy causes us to cry unto our Advocate and Intercessor, by His Spirit, the LORD Jesus Himself, with Whom forgiveness of sins is already and plenteous (infinite and unconditional) redemption, (Psalm 130:4-7).

Yet, what a glorious hope to know that in glory, our memories will be cleansed, redeemed, healed and restored to perfection. Revelation 21:4 declares, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

This is Heaven’s Glory to which all of the LORD’S redeemed and called ones aspire in hope, (Romans 8:18-26).