p. 6 | THE TWO THIEVES by H. A. St. John

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Sep 21, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 37.

THE TWO THIEVES.

By H. A. St. John

BY ELDER H. A. ST. JOHN.

“AND with Him they crucified two thieves; the one on His right hand, and the other on His left.” Mark 15:27. And thus was fulfilled the prediction of the prophet Isaiah, “He was numbered with the transgressors.” Isa. 53:12. As an actual fact, and in a literal sense, both of these thieves were crucified with Christ. But in that spiritual sense in which the sinner is crucified with Christ, only one of them was thus crucified.

The penitent thief confessed his sins before God, Christ, and the world, recognized in Christ the One who had done nothing amiss, the sinless One, the Saviour of the world, thus becoming acquainted with Him at the cross; and he then appealed to Christ to be remembered when He came into His kingdom, and received from Jesus that very day and hour the blessed assurance that he should be with Him in Paradise. Thus was the thief crucified with Christ—dying to sin by repentance and confession, and then quickened into a new life by a hearty recognition of Christ as his Saviour, and an unwavering faith in His words of answer to his petition. In this the penitent thief stands as a representative of all penitent and converted sinners.

The other thief well represents that other large portion of humanity who, altho ofttimes convinced and convicted of sin, refuse to submit to the death to sin, neglect the great salvation provided, and die without hope, and hence must die the second death for their sins. Reader, to which class do you belong?