Have you ever felt too far gone for grace? Like all of the wrongs in your life are just too many to be forgiven? If that is the case, then "Paradise" by New Life Worship has an important message for you. The song takes us back to one of the most powerful scenes in the Bible, the thief on the cross.
The song puts you right there. The thief, hanging right next to Christ on the cross. Guilty, undeserving, and despite that brave enough to be "Crying [to Christ] for mercy // Remember me." What this scene/song tells us is that it isn't about earning His mercy… It's about receiving it. The thief didn't have time to make things right again; he had no religious track record and no credentials. But he saw and accepted Jesus for who He was… and that was enough.
"You could've counted all my wrongs // Instead you counted me your own." These two lines alone are so precious. Just think about it! Instead of condemnation, Jesus offered paradise, extravagant, outrageous, and unearned grace.
The song makes this story personal, because we are all that thief. Every one of us. And the same mercy that met the thief on the cross is available to you right now.
So be audacious. Ask Him for it!
New Life Worship beautifully delivers this truth, with honesty, humility, and a soaring, worshipful finish: "Forevermore, Jesus is my King of Kings. Hallelujah." Amen!
(Related scripture: Luke 23:42-43; John 1:29; Ephesians 2:8-9)
Background:
I have forever been enamored with this scene. You have Jesus, of course, on the cross just paying the price we couldn't pay. Outrageous, overwhelming love taking our sin, taking our pain and the pain of the world on his shoulders. You have that, and then you have this criminal next to him guilty, and he doesn't know Jesus, but he has this bravery and audacity to ask for mercy.
Because he saw Jesus as He's giving His life to the world, and he said, 'He thought this is the Christ.' And I just love it. And Jesus gives it to him; He says, 'Today you'll be with Me in Paradise.' This guy didn't have time to go make amends for anything. This guy didn't learn to follow Jesus; he didn't know anything about Jesus, and he entered into Paradise that day. That's the outrageous love that's for all of us. We're all that person on the cross; we're all that guy. And we can be brave and audacious and ask for mercy because it's there for us. So that's the song. We love it, we're proud of it, it's unique, it's different. We hope it ministers to you.
Release date: April 2, 2026
Connect with New Life Worship
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/newlifeworship/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/newlifeworship
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0wCMw81dQdNPMRB4zadq5g
Would you like to hear more CCM music? Then check out our Christian playlists on: https://www.christiandance.eu/playlists