New King James Version
39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”
40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”
43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
In verse 41 the so called "good thief" acknowledges his culpability.
In verse 42 the "good thief" requests forgiveness, when asking Jesus to remember him.
Hebrews 10
Christ's Perfect Sacrifice
…16 “This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their hearts and inscribe them on their minds.” 17 Then He adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” 18 And where these have been forgiven, an offering for sin is no longer needed.
The Covenant between The Saviour, and the faithful person cleans the actions of our past enabling the present, and future to reveal Our Father's plan for our life when we freely choose to do all that He asks of us.
Victor Hugo's character, Jean Valjean presents the reader of his classic work "Les Miserables" with the story of a convicted criminal released from prison determined to redeem himself through his assistance of those, who by chance are brought into his orbit to help.
In the Covenant relationship between The Father, and the child of faith there is an awareness that Divine Providence equips each of us with all that we will need to become the outreach of Our Father into lives of those He selects.
In plain language our contrition acknowledging our offence leads us to seek forgiveness, placing us in a position to redeem our selves through acts that witness to our new life in the care of The Saviour.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation provides us with a means to lead us out of our self serving, even self destructive habits into a life where we serve the common good.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.~ Romans 3:23-24
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