The Heaven Answer Book

What did Jesus mean when He said, “The last will be first, and the first will be last” (Matthew 20:16)?

J esus was pointing out the danger of thinking we will go to Heaven because we are prominent or religious. But our salvation is by grace alone. In this passage (Matthew 20:1–16), Jesus told a parable about men who had been hired to work in a field. Some worked all day while others were given work late in the day—but both were given the same wage. As we’ve seen with the thief on the cross who acknowl edged his sinfulness to Jesus and was given eternal life in his last moments, the same joys of Heaven come to those saved early in life as those who are saved late in life. What true believer could possibly deny such joy to those who almost missed having their sins forgiven? It would break the heart of God for one of His own to derive joy from seeing people denied forgiveness of sin

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Can We Be Sure We Will Go to Heaven?