One of the greatest passages of the Bible (in my opinion, of course) is Luke 23: 39-43.
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
The first man saved by grace to enter heaven; a criminal crucified at the side of the Savior. I have no doubt that this man had truly repented of his sins. Jesus did indeed have the power to save this man’s earthly life by breaking his binds on his cross. But he did not. Nor did the man ask for it. The man realized he had received his just earthly punishment for his sins, and Jesus did not come to spare us these. Instead, the man received the much greater reward of Eternal Life through the Lord. Some may think it depressing, I find it inspiring.
"The vilest offender who truly believes
That moment, from Jesus a pardon receives"
--Fanny Crosby, 1875