That's fine...I'm trying to figure out what you're getting at. Sometimes people say they hold to something or reject something, but when they describe it, they are using the wrong label.
So you are saying that both thieves got the same things, the same amount of Holy Spirit prompting, and they reacted differently. And according to your post:
The thief that believed was demonstrating in his actions that Jesus forgives and sanctifies us. Whether it is impossible to separate the two, I'm not sure, since the forgiveness allows us entry into the body of Christ, while the sanctification could be stretched out over the whole of our lives while we are in the body of Christ.
My point, here:
was to suggest that the salvation was equally available to both thieves. I'm not sure, but it seems that the salvation is actually going to be executed in everyone's resurrection. But we that believe in this life are "alive" in Christ, because we know we will be resurrected, so we can live the kind of life that does not result from fearing death--We will be with Jesus in Paradise--whether that death comes sooner (the thief) or later. I think that's part of that sanctification you talk about.
Yes, both thieves where given the same opportunities as God is not unjust. If He was it would make Him a liar and thus a sinner.
It is impossible to separate justification and sanctification as demonstrated by the experience of the thief on the cross and scripture,
1Corinthians 1: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
30
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
The word translated as righteousness is as follows.
[*StrongsGreek*]
01343
δικαιοσύνη dikaiosýnē, dik-ah-yos-oo'-nay
from 1342;
equity (of character or act); specially (Christian) justification:--righteousness.
Therefore when we accept Jesus He is everything in the plan of salvation, a one stop shopping center so to speak, He is our wisdom, justification, sanctification, and redemption.
From the concept of ga'al He has paid our ransom as redemption was translated from the following.
[*StrongsGreek*]
00629
ἀπολύτρωσις apolýtrōsis, ap-ol-oo'-tro-sis
from a compound of 575 and 3083;
(the act) ransom in full, i.e. (figuratively) riddance, or (specially) Christian salvation:--deliverance, redemption.
