You remember the thief on the cross repented, right? Sainthood or redemption happens after death, and at the hour of death.
It’s how there are no saints alive,
Or, less Catholic, it’s how heathens, like all parents, can raise children by example (the best way), constant daily repentance.
The thief is a great example pointed to by theologians, and contrasted by the other thief, often forgotten, who refused to repent. the good thief said he was sorry with remorse and sincerity.
He shows us that’s how it’s done.
You are torturing the technicalities and timeline of an anolgoy, all the while missing the main point (on purpose) because the main point is not convenient to your self righteous legalastic no-grace rant. So to play your game and torture your metaphor more, the thief did repent, but not until the last moment - yet the God who abides outside the constraints of time as we understand it knew this from the beginning....