Matthew 20:1-16

20:15 "Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?"

What came to mind when you read the story of the laborers in the vineyard? You know what I thought of? Mormons. Yeah, those tricky Mormons. Mormons always vex me partially because I know they're so wrong, but they act so right. Sometimes better than some Christians I know. But I had a revealing conversation with one that shows just how the Mormon faith fits them in with the rest of the sinful world.

I used to work with a devout Mormon and during one of our spirited conversations, the doctrine of who will get to heaven came up. He asked me "do you believe that if a serial rapist and murderer got saved just before being executed, he would go to heaven?" I answered "if he truly repented of his sins, called on God for forgiveness, accepted Christ as his savior and devoted his life (as short as it may be) to his new Lord... then yes!" His response was something along the lines of "I cannot fathom being a part of a religion that believes that."

It is a difficult pill to swallow! That God would allow such "scum" into His presence! But what am I? I'm the same scum! (now please don't go calling the cops, I haven't raped or murdered anyone) All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The wages of sin is death. We know these verses, but have hard time putting ourselves in the same boat as those who commit the "really bad" sins. Why is that?

Pride.

Even in the gutters of a sin-soaked world, we create a class system. And we carry that prideful sense of echelons of sin into our Christian lives, and it burns us to think that us "good" folk will have to share residence in glory with the "bad" folk. When in sin, we all look dirty to God. But here's the amazing part... when redeemed, we all look clean to God!! We are justified in His sight and scrubbed clean not by our own efforts, but by the blood of Christ. And since the cleansing power is dependant on God's immeasurable love, no sin is too big. Thank God for that!

So to my Mormon friends, I understand why you don't understand how Jesus can tell the condemned criminal "truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise". You don't understand because your faith is built on your own efforts, not the Lord's. Feel free to ask me if you want to know how your sins can be washed away by the only love that can wash away anything.

As for me, I could do well to remember those that are unsaved are not just "scum", but are lost souls and if drawn to the Lord, could likely share a room with me in glory. Maybe I should start talking to them now...

Lord, help me to remember where I came from. Thank you for saving me and help me to not take pride in my own salvation or the good works you have prepared for me.