Is Salvation Really for Everyone?

Scripture:
Matthew 20:1-16 (NIV)

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. 

“About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. 

“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ 

“‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. 

“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’ 

“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’ 

“The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’ 

“But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ 

“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” 

Devotional:

After the devotional No Work Required I had a couple of comments or questions about it.  So I think that I am going to attempt to expand a little on yesterday’s devotional thoughts.  I will do so in today’s devotional and tomorrows.

Two thoughts to cover today are God’s word and is salvation truly for anyone.  Growing up I had wondered about those who lived their lives apart from God, specifically criminals.  Are they saved if they confess Christ as their savior on their death beds?  Before answering this we must realize and understand that the Bible is God’s word.  Either the Bible is completely true and is the truth, or it is a fairytale full of lies, myths and just stories.   As for me I will state that I do know that the entire Bible is truth and the word of God.  Yes men wrote it but God inspired what is written and directed their thoughts.  Much as I feel He guides my writing these devotionals, only they are one hundred percent right.  Are there contradictions in the Bible, no.  Are there differences in the different versions, yes.  However, they are all telling the same thing with the same meanings behind them.  In John 1:1-3 states, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”  

If you read today’s scripture verse Matthew 20:1-16 it is the parable about the workers in the vineyard.  Each man who worked in the fields received the same pay.  The cost of salvation is the same for each person.  The price doesn’t change.  It is still a free gift to us, we cannot pay the price.  Jesus paid the price of all sin for any and everyone.  The only time it is too late to receive salvation is after your life here on earth ends.  Salvation is even offered to those on their death bed.  As long as they truly repent and accept Christ as Lord and Savior, see John 3:16-18.  It may not seem fair but there are several things to look at.  One, look how much they missed on in this life.  They were left out of a lot of blessings from God.  They did not have His peace through this life, nor hope and they didn't accept His love.  Next what are their rewards in heaven?  Jesus clearly tells us that we as Christians are to store our treasures in Heaven.  They have not had the time to build any.  As we all know you cannot take it with you when you go.  What will we have in heaven?  I don’t know but I know it will be wonderful.  Who gets what and how much of it?  Again I don’t know but I do know we will not want or need for anything.  This brings us to tomorrow’s devotional thought.  Now that I am saved why is it still so hard?