“But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” Lk. 23:40-43
Scoffers would complain how unfair it is for a convict to live a whole life as a scoundrel and then get to go to heaven at the last few hours of his life. The person with a heart of mercy would rejoice that a convict could still get to go to heaven right up to the closing hours of his life. God is always willing to save a soul, even to the point where He has to have them hung on a cross next to His Son’s cross. That is what you call, “in the nick of time.”