The Good Thief and instant conversion

And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. 

Luke 23: 39-43

I have long been fascinated and inspired by the Biblical examples of people becoming an "instant Christian". 

Whether these narrated events actually happened is, for me, secondary to the fact that I understand the Gospel writers reported them as things that could have happened - and therefore (presumably) instant Christianity was consistent with early Christian practice. 

A particularly beautiful story is that of the "Good" or "Penitent" thief (later dubbed Dysmas by Apocryphal sources). 

What I get from this is that becoming a Christian was a simple and quick matter, in the beginning. 

It can, as here, be reduced to two main requirements, encapsulated in the sentences: Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom and To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

In reverse order I take this to imply: 

1. That Dysmas wanted that which Jesus promised - resurrection into Heaven, which I extrapolate from "with me in Paradise". 

2. That Dysmas recognized Jesus for what he claimed to be ("Lord"), and as following him to be The Way for Men to attain resurrection into Heaven. This, I see as consistent with "remember me" - meaning that salvation is by a personal relationship with Jesus.

Of course, I don't claim that these brief and narrative Bible versus entail the truths of salvation! But I find that they resonate with these truths; and that the felt-message is one of hope and joy for all Men, who are all (and always shall be) ultimately "sinners" - that is we are never, ever, fully-aligned with God's creative will. 

The Good Thief demonstrates that this is not a barrier to our attaining Paradise - so long as we desire to become fully-aligned. 

And that the transformation of our future state is but the work of a moment.