We can learn alot from the 2 thieves that hung with Jesus Christ on the Cross...One thief had doubting faith, saying "IF thou be the Christ" the other said "Lord, Remember me..." not doubting Jesus and admitting fault to why they were being executed, while testifying that Jesus did not deserve to be hung with them. It reminds me of two different kinds of people, those who believe in Jesus and those who doubt that He is Lord.
The doubting thief wanted to be freed, but to what? The Lord knows which one's of us would return to what we were doing in life if given a second chance or were to become young again and be able to go back and do it all again, then there's the other kind of people that know if they could have a second chance to make things right with the opportunity to correct their wrongs they would.
The Lord knows which ones of us if given the chance to start-over, would truly start with Serving the Lord with all we've got, or would we use that opportunity to repeat the same ungodliness that we once enjoyed. Many who are caught in wrongdoing only sorrow because they have to pay for what they've done, and others sorrow because they are truly sorry, and wish they had the chance to go back and make it right.
If the believing thief could return to talk to us, he would tell us to "turn around, don't do it, don't do the things that can cause you to miss the glory, and treasure that the Lord has blessed me to leave the cross to go straight into Paradise with Him.
If you only knew the joy and peace, and great glory of this place you would not repeat the same things that The Lord is not pleased with, you would stop and not risk being in this heavenly place with The Lord, it's so worth just doing all The Lord says, the sacrifice, the submission, the obedience, the commandments, and loving everyone no matter what is so worth all this glory that I enjoy. Oh but if I could live my life over again, I would've lived it All for Christ, never to have stolen, sinned, or wasted precious time that could've been devoted to so Great a King who has such great mercy on so sinful a man." Luke 23:42