The Truth about Christ's words-- "...For many are called, but few chosen.” Matthew 20:16.
"...For many are called, but few chosen.” Matthew 20:16.
Growing up, these words of Christ were singled out of their context and preached to many among us in terms of:
"God may have called you but you have to make sure that you do your best to be obedient and not sin so that you can be chosen and not left behind when the trumpets sound."
In reality, the phrase is all about God's Grace- undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour. Notice that it begins with "For." This means that its context is predicated on what comes before. The phrase is not even the complete verse. The full verse (Matthew 20:16) reads:
"So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”
Even the full verse begins with "So," meaning that its context is based on what comes before. Beloved of God, take a text out of its context and you will be left with a con. The verse "....For many are called, but few chosen" are the words with which Christ ends His telling of the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard- remember, the parable where some labourers started working in the vineyard early and in the evening, complained because they expected to be paid more than the "latecomers" who worked for only one hour?
It's already plain to see that last who would be "first" and "chosen" are the latecomers. Recall -
"So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”
The latecomers/last did not labour under the hot middle eastern sun like the many that were called who complained thus about them:
"These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day."
Yet these last men received a full day's wage. In man's reasoning, that is not right. The first and "chosen" should not be the latecomers. Those positions should go to the complainers, afterall, they worked harder and longer inside hot sun. Why should the last be the first and chosen?
But God's ways are not man's ways. Many churchgoers are suffering unnecessarily at the hands of Satan's agents masquerading as "pastor" who preach the same doctrine that Satan sold to Eve in Eden: that man can do anything at all by human effort in order to be godly aka "be like God." But I digress...
Let's take a deeper look at the Parable. Here's the first part where the Landowner (Christ) went out to call people to work in His vineyard. See Matthew 20:1-7:
"1 For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will GIVE you.’ So they went. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will RECEIVE.’"
I put some words in caps for emphasis. Please hold on to the words "GIVE" and "RECEIVE." They are very crucial in this parable.
Notice that the Landowner went out to call all of the labourers to work? If He had not, they would still be "standing idle." A popular proverb says "The idle mind is the devil's workshop." None of those people would have been workers in Christ's vineyard had they not been called by God. They would have been completely shut out of Christ- idle and left to the devices of Satan. Christ reiterates this truth in John 6:43-46 (MSG)-
"Jesus said, “Don’t bicker among yourselves over Me. You’re not in charge here. The Father who sent Me is in charge. He draws people to Me—that’s the only way you’ll ever come. Only then do I do My work, putting people together, setting them on their feet, ready for the End...."
And there we were thinking "I decided to follow Jesus and do good because I am better and have more good sense than atheists and murderers." If we were not drawn to Christ, we would never come to Him much less be able to work in His vineyard; we might even be the staunchest of atheists and the worst of murderers. Yet we who would not have even heard about Christ and would be wallowing in horrid sins but for God calling us to Christ threaten others with "You'd better come to Christ or burn in hell."
Beloved, if we want to see our loved ones saved and reigning over sin and death, by Grace, let's take the matter to Christ first. Apart from Him, every effort to convert anybody is futile. It is God the Landowner Himself who organises the calling of such to Christ, whether by using us or others as His vessels or by any means He chooses- just like the Landowner in the Parable. Our calling is a gift of Grace aka undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour. This is why we have the gift of prayer. Instead of pointing out sins in the life of the sinner, wagging fingers and threatening them with hell, let's simply ask our Father in heaven to draw such to Christ of whom it is written in Titus 2:14-
"He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds."
Also Matthew 1:21- "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
But let's go back to the Parable. The Landowner went out five times during the day to call people to work in His vineyard. Based on the calculation of day hours in those days in Israel, we have:
- The 6.00am labourers aka "early in the morning" group aka Group 1
- The 9.00am group (third hour) aka Group 2
- The 12 noon group (sixth hour) aka Group 3
- The 3.00pm group (ninth hour) aka Group 4
- The 5.00pm group (eleventh hour) aka Group 5
Notice the Landowner went out five times (the number of Grace) with the fifth group RECEIVING unmerited favour? There are no coincidences in God's word. It was intended to be that way. The eleventh hour (5.00pm) group and the entire calling by the Landowner is all about GRACE- undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour.
So let's analyse each group and the "agreement" that the Landowner had with each of them.
First, the 6.00am labourers aka "early in the morning" group. They were the first to receive the call to work in the Landowner's vineyard and of whom it is written:
"Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard."
This group represents the Jews: they were the first to hear the Good News about Christ. They operated on a barter agreement with the landowner aka "what you give is what you get."
Next, we have the 9.00am, 12 noon and 3.00pm labourers. They are those of whom it is written:
"3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise."
These groups represent Gentiles (non-Jews) who were called to Christ after the Jews were given The Message. Very important to note what the Landowner said to them after He called them:
‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will GIVE you.’
Recall we are to hold on to the word both "RECEIVE" and "GIVE" which I put in caps for emphasis. Then comes the 5.00pm group of whom it is written:
"6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will RECEIVE.’"
This eleventh hour group were standing idle and not working in the vineyard because no one hired them- like many who are deemed "ungodly" by some churchgoers today. Thank God that the Landowner is still hiring labourers. They were called and got to work in the cool of the day, escaping the hot middle eastern sun which the earlier group faced and complained about. When Christ the Landowner called this last group, He did not tell them "'...whatever is right I will GIVE you’" as he did the 9am, 12 noon and 3pm groups. To this last group who worked for just one hour, He said
"...whatever is right you will RECEIVE.’"
Now comes the time for payment for the labour of the workers in the vineyard. Of course all of us would expect that the last (eleventh hour) group who worked for the least number of hours should get paid last and get the the least amount, and the FIRST (early morning) group, the most money. But God's ways are not man's ways as we see in the concluding part of the parable where we find "For many are called, but few chosen."- Matthew 20:8-16-
“So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ 9 And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 11 And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ 13 But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”
Beloved of God, the "barter" aka first group were not happy that the eleventh hour group received the same wages- this eleventh hour generation who did not labour in the heat of the day but in the cool of the evening, yet received a full day's wages from the Landowner! The barter group forgot that they would be idle with no one to give them either work or payment had the Landowner not called them. They would not even be in His vineyard to begin with. Their wages would be zero and remaining outside the vineyard but for the Grace of the Landowner in calling them.
So they complained to the Landowner who gave them what was agreed. They did not want what He gave to them. They wanted what they felt should be adequate compensation for their efforts. They were unhappy with the fact that, for all their efforts, they were only entitled to the same wages as the eleventh hour group. This brings us to what the Landowner said to each group (the many that are called) as He hired them:
Recall we are to hold on to the words "GIVE" and "RECEIVE." To the FIRST, the early morning (6.00am) group, a picture of the Jews who were first called, there was the barter agreement of:
"a denarius a day," They were given their payment. They had a choice to take it or leave it.
To the 9am, 12 noon and 3pm groups- a picture of the Gentiles who were called to Christ after the Jews- He says:
‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will GIVE you.’ They were also given their payment. They had a choice to take it or leave it.
But to the called of eleventh hour, He said and is still saying:
"...whatever is right you will RECEIVE.’"
Beloved of God, there is a difference between GIVE and RECEIVE. The word "Receive" is translated from the Greek word "lambano" which means:
"to take to one's self, lay hold upon, take possession of, i.e. to appropriate to one's self." It means "to receive (what is given), to gain, get, obtain, to get back"
When something is received, the receiver has taken/accepted it/lays hold of it as his own.
But when something is given, we have the option to either take or refuse/deem it unworthy.
Beloved, I believe that even some of those in-between (9am, noon and 3pm) groups would have expected more than the eleventh hour group, just like the complainer and first/early morning group one of whom the Landowner had to tell:
"Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’
This is the same thing that He is telling the many who are called to work in His Vineyard today: TAKE. But many who are called are not receiving because they want Christ the Landowner to give to them based on their efforts and hard work, definitely NOT based on the Landowner's Way of giving His benefits. They cannot understand the eleventh hour/5pm group who seemingly just waltzed in and effortlessly received full wages from the Landowner, neither do they understand His ways. For example, see His way of giving freedom from generational and other curses in Galatians 3:13-
"13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."
The eleventh hour/5pm/last group today freely receive God's unmerited favour of redemption from the curse through His love demonstrated in Christ hanging for us at the cross, not because we earned it. But churchgoers who put themselves in the "barter" position of the first group don't want what is given; they even try to discourage the eleventh hour group by telling us that the Landowner might be deceiving us- that we cannot possibly receive freedom from generational and other curses without indulging in useless arm of flesh/ human effort-driven works such as 70 days fasts and “powerful prayer” in order to break generational and other curses which Christ hung on the cross to redeem us from- since we do not depend on human toiling to receive. Christ said and is still saying to this group:
"Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’
But this group of churchgoers do not want to TAKE what Christ has given. Rather, they want Christ to give to them freedom from the curse based on their efforts at sowing seed, obeying the law and fasting for 70 days in His vineyard! But it is only what Christ has given that suffices as wages for redemption from sin, the curse and death which is preceded by its symptoms of earthly ills such as lack, etc. Beloved, TAKE from Christ and stop depending on your labours!
"Death" in the Bible is translated from the Greek word "Thanatos" which has the following Biblical meanings:
- the misery of the soul arising from sin, which begins on earth but lasts and increases after the death of the body in hell
- the miserable state of the wicked dead in hell
- in the widest sense, death comprising all the miseries arising from sin, as well physical death as the loss of a life consecrated to God and blessed in him on earth, to be followed by wretchedness in hell
Death is not just falling down and dying physically. It comprises all earthly ills such as disease, lack, depression, physical death and culminates in death in hell- the same death that Adam and his seed (all of mankind) were destined to die-
"By one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous." Romans 5:19.
The wages of sin is death. Christ the Landowner died that death for us. He says in the Parable-
"Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first."
Not TAKING/RECEIVING the wages which Christ gave (His life) that we might freely have but craving that which proceeds from working like the early morning/FIRST group is why many workers in the vineyard/churchgoers continue to suffer symptoms of the curse, craving payment based on works derived from the arm of flesh/human effort which simply cannot work. We find such hopping from one curse-breaking/deliverance session to another, looking for the salvation which Christ hung on the cross for us to freely have. Beloved, let's not be found here. It is the definition of trust in the arm of flesh and unbelief in God's goodness.
I've had people tell me that I write these things because I neither understand nor have I experienced Satan's oppression in a practical sense. Thank God for His Mercy and saving Grace Who took me through it all, saved me and is still my all by His Grace alone. Maybe one day, I will share some of my experiences.
Beloved, we overcome by the blood of the Lamb (by which we are made righteous) and the word of our Testimony (what God says about our life in Christ e.g. no more curse based on Christ's redemption when He hung on the cross for us.)
Beloved, are we taking what Christ is giving or, like the early morning group, one of whom the Landowner told to take what He gave, are we refusing the goodness of God because He is good to even the Graced/undeserving eleventh hour/5.00pm (fifth) group who came LAST, worked in the cool of the day, received and are still freely receiving the full benefits of His Grace (undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour) today?
Are we expecting what we think we should get based on our efforts and (self-)righteous works or what Christ is giving today? See what God freely gives to us in His Grace (Christ Himself) in Psalm 103-
Beloved, all of the above Grace gifts (also five in number) we receive freely in Christ from the One of whom it is written in Romans 8:32-
"He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"
None of His benefits do we receive based on the barter system of the first group which is the norm in many places of worship today. Beloved, by Grace, stop expecting God to bless because of what you have done like the first group; by Grace, receive your Christ's blood-bought and rightful place in the eleventh hour generation of Christ's followers and enjoy the full benefits of His Grace- undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour.
This brings us to the verse which antichrist pastors often twist to deceive churchgoers into thinking that the Kingdom of God is for a particular class of people who can "do good" and who depend on their non-existent ability to keep the Ten Commandments and produce good deeds by themselves (dead works), not knowing that God's mercy is the "skeleton" that is keeping them from devolving into the most heinous of sins and death that is man's true nature as we see in Peter's copious denial of Christ-
"16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”
The word "chosen" is translated from the Greek word "eklektos" which has the following Bible interpretations:
- Christians are called "chosen or elect" of God
- choice, select, i.e. the best of its kind or class, excellence preeminent: applied to certain individual Christians.
Understand that the many who worked in the vineyard were called by the Landowner. But His best for us is after the manner of the eleventh hour labourers who came late, worked in the cool of the day yet received full benefits- those who trusted and still trust in the goodness of God. These are the "chosen." Many are called. But freely RECEIVING what the Landowner gives, knowing that it has nothing to do with our efforts at earning His approval or His benefits which no man can earn, is what makes us Christians aka "chosen" -
"16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”
The eleventh hour generation aka the LAST who received by GRACE (undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour) and not based on their efforts are the FIRST to RECEIVE what Christ gives and so are the FIRST to enjoy the freely-given benefits of God's kingdom here on earth:
This is the Benjamin Generation - the 5pm and ""fifth group" generation of Grace who freely receive five times more for believing in the Grace/goodness/ unmerited favour of God. By Grace, we are the CHOSEN because we freely receive ALL of His benefits. By Grace, let's remain in our Christ's blood-bought and rightful position as HEIRS of salvation. We still work, but in the cool of the day and knowing that even our work and whatever we produce come by God's Grace - undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour who is Christ Himself. Apart from Him, we can do nothing
Beloved, do you find yourself among the FIRST group, thinking that you should get something different from that of the eleventh hour Grace generation because of your works? Are you still being told by Christ to TAKE what He is giving to you:
"Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”
Are you trying to earn the full-day's wage of Christ's salvation from the curse, lack, disease, depression, demonic oppression, unemployment and other symptoms of death with useless 70 days fasts and other carnal/human effort-driven works that you feel should make you deserving of His "wages"?
Beloved, are you still practicing that "barter" arrangement of the FIRST group which is synonymous with the Law of Moses, expecting to receive benefits which are different from what the Lord gives to the eleventh hour generation- based on your works in the vineyard and not according to the Lord's Way of giving which is undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour? If He should pay us based on such works, we would be doomed! Beloved, let us take our cue from God's word through Paul who counted all of his “vineyard labours" aka barter arrangement as A PILE OF MANURE ("dung" in the KJV) that he might gain Christ. See Philippians 3:7-9-
"Yet all of the accomplishments that I once took credit for, I’ve now forsaken them and I regard it all as nothing compared to the delight of experiencing Jesus Christ as my Lord! 8 To truly know Him meant letting go of everything from my past and throwing all my boasting on the garbage heap. It’s all like a pile of manure to me now, so that I may be enriched in the reality of knowing Jesus Christ and embrace Him as Lord in all of His greatness."
This from a "Pharisee of Pharisees" whose works of the law no one alive can ever match! Beloved, stop your striving and freely receive ALL of the Lord's benefits in Christ Jesus.
As to our attitude towards those who are still outside the vineyard, understand that threats of destruction in a hell which many cannot even comprehend cannot convert anybody. It is the mentality of the first "barter" group who complained to the Landowner- not satisfied with His ways. How can one lead another in the way of the Landowner whose ways that one does not even understand? How can the blind lead the blind? At most, their doctrine will turn people into the FIRST barter group who saw their works or attempts at attaining godliness as why God should bless. This is exactly where Satan wants everyone to be- slaving away trying to be godly (be like God) and expecting God to bless based on such useless efforts. We see this in play in many churches today - Christ is saying "Take what I freely give" but like the first group, man wants to receive based on his (self-)righteous works. Isaiah 64:6 tells us how God sees such works which many depend on to get Him to bless:
"We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in Your sight."
Unless what is given (Grace- undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour) is received and in the manner of the eleventh hour group- knowing that we do not deserve it, there can be no salvation.
Christ is still hiring labourers into His vineyard today, beloved. And whatever category we find ourselves in among the five groups in the Lord's vineyard, it is not too late to freely receive. Like Paul, let's cast off all those encumberances of self-righteous works of the law done to get God to bless which only prevent one from receiving and enjoying the fullness of His Grace-
"For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's Grace." Galatians 5:4.
Beloved, the above - being cut of from Christ - is the position of all who expect the Landowner to free them from the curse, forgive their sins, heal their disease, redeem their life from destruction, crown them with mercy and lovingkindness and satisfy their mouth with good things so that their youth is renewed like the eagle's. No amount of works can buy ANY of the Lord's benefits. Rather, it is with that payment that Christ gave (His life) to the workers and is still giving that He bought our redemption from all ills. It is receiving that payment that causes us to "not perish but have everlasting life." And this is the same payment which many churchgoers are refusing to TAKE/RECEIVE but instead, depend on their own useless works to save them- works which are like a menstrual rag in God's sight. They want the Landowner to give them what they truly deserve for their works- Death! Beloved of God, let's not be found here.
Beloved, in Christ, like the eleventh hour labourers who RECEIVED the good which they did not deserve, because we RECEIVE what Christ gives to us and do not depend on what we can do to get the blessing, ALL the blessings of the righteous are upon us, even though we are highly undeserving; "even though we are guilty of many sins." This is NOT so that we should continue to wallow in sins and do no works as antichrist pastors and their followers who complain because they do not know the ways of the Landowner are always quick to imply; in the Wisdom of the Landowner, our RECEIVING His freely-given "wages" is so that we should live in triumph over sin and death through Jesus Christ-
"And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who RECEIVE it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ." Romans 5:16-17.
Beloved, why don't you ask the Lord to help you to receive today? Even our receiving is a gift of Grace. Apart from Christ, we can do nothing. So ask. He is waiting and so, so willing to hear your voice.
When your believing is right, right living will follow.
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