This changed at the cross Jesus did say to the thief on the cross “today your will be with me in paradise”
See what Matthew said what happened at the cross and resurrection
Matthew 27:51-53
51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
That was the first resurrection
Lazarus was the first first resurrection. The Cross was the second instance of a first resurrection. All who enter Paradise as an ongoing phenomenon experience a first resurrection. The first resurrection is changing from Adam's dead corruptible physical body to God's permanent incorruptible physical body. 2 Corinthians 5:1 should make that perfectly clear. When the soul of a redeemed human leaves Adam's flesh it immediately enters God's permanent incorruptible physical body. All firsts are physical. The first birth is physical. The first death is physical. The first resurrection is physical. That is what the Cross was all about. Those OT redeemed were waiting in Abraham's bosom as souls. They were waiting for that first physical resurrection. Except Lazarus. Lazarus was called out of the grave days before the Cross as proof, the Cross would do the same for all in Abraham's bosom. And to prove to the Jews, it was a literal physical resurrection, Jesus waited until the 4th day. Lazarus was not a zombie in a dead physical body. Lazarus had the complete first resurrection. A permanent incorruptible physical body. Lazarus went to Paradise when all the OT ascended with Jesus on Sunday after Jesus talked to Mary. John 20:14-18
"And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and
say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her."
Jesus was about to ascend at that moment to present the firstfruits, the OT redeemed to God. This was when they physically entered Paradise. Lazarus would not stay on earth after experiencing the first resurrection. Neither would any coming out of their graves that week.
Yes, the thief on the Cross was the first NT redeemed soul. Dying hours after the Cross and the resurrection from Abraham's bosom, the thief went immediately to Paradise. The exact same thing happened to Stephen when he was stoned to death. And all who peacefully pass over experience the same first resurrection. The thief literally entered Paradise days before the OT redeemed. He entered that day, while the rest waited until Sunday.