The Afterlife Surprise – Who gets to heaven first?

A Greatly Missed Fact of Theology is Revealed by Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospels is stated in verse in image (Matthew 21:32).

Why?

Because such ones as the Pharisees “trusted in their OWN righteousness” which makes one ‘prideful’ & ‘our good works are ridden with self,  thus not so good,  imperfect (even the Pharisees were great charity workers, Matthew 6:1 – 2 & were full of religious practices too, Matthew 6:5 & additional cultural practices too,  Matthew 23:25 – 26, Matthew 15:9, Mark 7:8, Matthew 15:8)’ and so,  these “works cannot save us” (Isaiah 64:6):

“And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:” – Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 18:9, NASB)

“For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.” (Isaiah 64:6, NASB)

Is God unfair?

No! Is it unfair that these ‘great rich or religious’ received many good things in life first before giving?

“But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.” – Abraham to the rich man in Hell (Luke 16:25, NASB)

“And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury.

And He saw a poor widow putting in two small copper coins.

And He (Lord Jesus Christ) said, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them;

for they all out of their surplus put into the offering; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on.” (Luke 21:1 – 4, NASB)

If any rich claims that they deserve it or got their blessings due to their ability and hard work (a false premise,  Ecclesiastes 9:11), please tell them the truth that it is due to “time & chance” (Ecclesiastes 9:11) or “wickedness” (as ruthless men retain riches,  Proverbs 11:16, even the prosperity of the wicked too exists, Psalms 73:3) or due to God’s Blessings (Proverbs 10:22).

This means that even if some got it in the good way, it is due to God giving that ability and hard work & “not” of ourselves.

A realisation of these Biblical truths when these verses are seen together makes us realise that our achievements are due to  God’s Mercy instead of the “pride of life” (1 John 2:16) —-> which leads to humility and gratefulness.

Only the believing rich with these characteristics obtain the age-during life rewards:

“Those rich in the present age charge thou not to be high-minded, nor to hope in the uncertainty of riches, but in the living God, who is giving to us all things richly for enjoyment; –” (1 Timothy 6:17, YLT)

Yes,  He meant it truly:

“Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” – Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 19:24, NASB)

Indeed, even the Pharisees with such level of Law observance & self righteousness “without Christ” (rejecting Him) cannot attain the “minimum” level of righteousness needed to “enter the kingdom of the heavens”:

“For I say to you that unless your righteousness shall abound above that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall never enter into the kingdom of the heavens.” – Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:20, BLB)

Yes, “no” man ever attained even these level of “righteousness without Christ” (including  the Pharisees too)  meaning ‘none’ could “enter the kingdom of the heavens”:

“As it has been written: “There is none righteous, not even one;” (Romans 3:10, BLB)

So how?

We need a righteousness “without” the Law beyond ourselves too to be saved (Romans 3:21).

“But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;” (Romans 3:21, KJV)

Yes,  we all need the Perfect Savior, God Himself Who came in Flesh so that we may be “saved” by the “Faith of Jesus Christ” through “His Perfect Righteousness” imputed upon “all” eventually as Scripture clearly writes (please note the often missed word “all” in verse below which refers to ‘all who have sinned, Romans 3:23’ or ‘all the world, Romans 3:19’):

“Even the Righteousness of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:” (Romans 3:22, KJV)

All have sinned including the angels because “sin = missing the mark” from the “Perfection of God” including the ‘sin not leading to death too’ (1 John 5:17).

Believers are saved in the “present time” (please note that the phrase ‘faith in Jesus’ in verse below is entirely different from the ‘Faith of Jesus Christ’ in Romans 3:22 above):

“for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”  (Romans 3:26, NASB)

“All” will be saved too (beyond the “present time” as implied in Romans 3:22) agreeing to the verse below where both those “breaking & keeping His Commandments” are said to be “in the Kingdom of the Heavens” (making sense of ‘Mercy to All’ eventually as Promised in Romans 11:32 in the context of both the “obedient & disobedient” too as described in Romans 11:30 – 31 as the ‘Final Word on Judgment which is Mercy triumphing rejoicingly ending it too, James 2:13)”

“Whoever then shall break one of the least of these commandments and shall teach others the same, he will be called least in the kingdom of the heavens; but whoever shall keep and shall teach them, he will be called great in the kingdom of the heavens.” – Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:19, BLB)

Truly,  Salvation is His Work Alone and He Will have Mercy at His Will (whenever He finds it fit that we are ready to be saved,  God doesn’t make mistakes making our Hope Certain in His Word as it is written):

“For He says to Moses: “I will show mercy to whom I may show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I may have compassion.” (Romans 9:15, BLB)

Yes,  “His Gift of Salvation & Mercy to ALL” eventually CANNOT be Revoked”

“for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience,

so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy.

For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show Mercy to ALL.” (Romans 11:29 – 32, NASB)

Conclusion

This “Will of God” to “Save ALL Men” will be Achieved by Lord Jesus Christ Alone without any failure in the end for Man, Good News indeed!

“Who (God our Savior) will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4, KJV)

This is what it means to trust the “Living God” (please note this phrase in the verse below):

“It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance.

For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.

Prescribe and teach these things.” (1 Timothy 4:9 – 11, NASB)

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” – Lord Jesus Christ (John 16:33, NASB)