I still wonder though, even if God gives each of us different callings and seemingly different levels of "wowness" factor, what is the cut off point? Would God actually give some people a tiny calling like just go to church every Sunday, read the bible 1 hour a week, pray a few minutes a day, and be nice to your neighbors and family and maybe evangelize to just 10 people in your lifetime and you have fulfilled your calling and will go to heaven? versus someone who is called to give up their entire life (their own desires and dreams) and do something like be a lifelong missionary in poor and difficult living conditions?
Why does how others are saved seem to bother you as you consider yourself saved. Right off the bat this applies to your post, the answer is also in the same parable:
M't:20:1-2:
For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder,
which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day,
he sent them into his vineyard.
.
.
M't:20:6-7:
And about the eleventh hour he went out,
and found others standing idle,
and saith unto them,
Why stand ye here all the day idle?
They say unto him,
Because no man hath hired us.
He saith unto them,
Go ye also into the vineyard;
and whatsoever is right,
that shall ye receive.
.
.
M't:20:9-15:
And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour,
they received every man a penny.
But when the first came,
they supposed that they should have received more;
and they likewise received every man a penny.
And when they had received it,
they murmured against the goodman of the house,
Saying,
These last have wrought but one hour,
and thou hast made them equal unto us,
which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
But he answered one of them,
and said,
Friend,
I do thee no wrong:
didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
Take that thine is,
and go thy way:
I will give unto this last,
even as unto thee.
Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?
Is thine eye evil,
because I am good?
If you are promoting that some Gentiles get in via the 'light yoke', but I doubt you would object to all these people being alive for the 1,000 years as they are doing a lot less than your list even?
Eze:36:16-24:
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me,
saying,
Son of man,
when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land,
they defiled it by their own way and by their doings:
their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman.
Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land,
and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it:
And I scattered them among the heathen,
and they were dispersed through the countries:
according to their way and according to their doings I judged them.
And when they entered unto the heathen,
whither they went,
they profaned my holy name,
when they said to them,
These are the people of the LORD,
and are gone forth out of his land.
But I had pity for mine holy name,
which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen,
whither they went.
Therefore say unto the house of Israel,
Thus saith the Lord GOD;
I do not this for your sakes,
O house of Israel,
but for mine holy name's sake,
which ye have profaned among the heathen,
whither ye went.
And I will sanctify my great name,
which was profaned among the heathen,
which ye have profaned in the midst of them;
and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD,
saith the Lord GOD,
when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.
For I will take you from among the heathen,
and gather you out of all countries,
and will bring you into your own land.
Can you be considered a follower of Christ and enter heaven by just believing in your heart Jesus is Lord, go to church, read and pray some, but after that pretty much live your own life and career and enjoy your friends, family, travels, materials/possessions, at your own comfort and pace?
Agree the doubting Thomas story was a real event and be a good Samaritan.
Jews cannot do they, they are like God made them:
M't:5:43-48:
Ye have heard that it hath been said,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour,
and hate thine enemy.
But I say unto you,
Love your enemies,
bless them that curse you,
do good to them that hate you,
and pray for them which despitefully use you,
and persecute you;
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven:
for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good,
and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
For if ye love them which love you,
what reward have ye?
do not even the publicans the same?
And if ye salute your brethren only,
what do ye more than others?
do not even the publicans so?
Be ye therefore perfect,
even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
I feel like the hardline christians would say absolutely not. Those people are not true christians. Hmm....
How many real Christians have you chatted up?
1Th:5:1-7:
But of the times and the seasons,
brethren,
ye have no need that I write unto you.
For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
For when they shall say,
Peace and safety;
then sudden destruction cometh upon them,
as travail upon a woman with child;
and they shall not escape.
But ye,
brethren,
are not in darkness,
that that day should overtake you as a thief.
Ye are all the children of light,
and the children of the day:
we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
Therefore let us not sleep,
as do others;
but let us watch and be sober.
For they that sleep sleep in the night;
and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
Re:16:15-21:
Behold,
I come as a thief.
Blessed is he that watcheth,
and keepeth his garments,
lest he walk naked,
and they see his shame.
And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air;
and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven,
from the throne,
saying,
It is done.
And there were voices,
and thunders,
and lightnings;
and there was a great earthquake,
such as was not since men were upon the earth,
so mighty an earthquake,
and so great.
And the great city was divided into three parts,
and the cities of the nations fell:
and great Babylon came in remembrance before God,
to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
And every island fled away,
and the mountains were not found.
And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven,
every stone about the weight of a talent:
and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail;
for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
For what its worth, Christians study the Bible at home during the week and then talk with others about what they learned. (rather than some Rabbi or Priest preaches to a dead silent group and takes no questions at the end)
