| Is Jesus Christ The First-Born Of All Creation? "And one of the criminals who were hanged was hurling abuse at Him, saying, 'Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!'
But the other answered, and rebuking him said, 'Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.'
And he was saying, 'Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!'
And He said to him, 'Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.'"
Luke 23:39-43 (New American Standard)
You will hear and read these passages many times. Many will imply that they prove that when you die you go to heaven or paradise. Don't be deceived. Because if these statements are true, as written, than Jesus is not our Lord and Savior. Here is why. Jesus is the first fruits from the dead. That is, resurrected from a physical man to a spiritual being. "But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep." (1 Corinthians 15:20 NAS, emphasis added throughout). "But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming," (1 Corinthians 15:23). He is the first to be truly born again. "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren," (Romans 8:29). "And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation." (Colossians 1:15)
But Jesus was dead for three days and three nights. And three days and nights after He was killed, He still hadn't ascended to heaven to return to the Father. Speaking to Mary Magdalene, "Jesus said to her, 'Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.'" (John 20:17) (See Leviticus. 23:9-14 for the first fruits wave sheaf).
However in Luke 23:43, as worded in most translations, the criminal would be in paradise that very day. Three days BEFORE Christ ascended to heaven! The criminal would have ascended to heaven before Christ, therefore, he would have to be considered the first fruits and first-born! One misplaced comma has altered the true meaning of what Jesus said and more importantly, has forfeited Jesus' authority to claim to be Lord. And millions of professing Christians don't even realize this.
The New Testament was written in Greek and did not have punctuation marks. The translators, men with bias and agendas, put them later. Luke 23:43 could have easily been correctly translated, "And He said to him, 'Truly I say to you today, you shall be with Me in Paradise.'" Translated in this matter, this statement would be consistent with the other Scriptures mentioned before.
Many will tell you that His body was dead but His spirit was alive and in heaven. And yes, when one dies the spirit indeed returns to heaven. "...then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it." (Ecclesiastes 12:7) "And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, 'Father, into Thy hands I commit My Spirit.' And having said this, He breathed His last." (Luke 23:46). "And they went on stoning Stephen as he called upon the Lord and said, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!'" (Acts 7:59). But scriptures also prove that while the spirit may be in heaven, the dead are not aware of this fact. The dead do not know anything. "His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; In that very day his thoughts perish." (Psalms 146:4). "For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten." (Ecclesiastes 9:5)
This man, who was crucified besides Jesus, will one day be in paradise with Him. But in the correct order. "For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming," (1 Corinthians 15:22-23). Notice 1 Corinthians 15:23 and verses 51-52 in the same chapter. Here it even specifies when the resurrection of this man will occur. "at His coming."
Don't be misled by the beliefs of this world. Seek God's wisdom and above all, prove everything from the Scriptures. |