Basically, the story is there was this well-to-do farmer that needed workers to get a job done. So, he got up in the morning and employed day-labourers, contract staff, to do the job. They agreed on a pay and set to work on the farm.

Later on, at lunchtime, the farmer meets some jobless guys just hanging around and offers to pay them to join in the day’s work. They agree on a pay and set to work. At around 5pm, he bumps into yet another group of idle, lazy youths and offers them the job. They agree on a pay and join the others for one hour of work.

At 6pm, when work for the day ends, they all queue up for their pay. As they are getting paid, they realize that they are all receiving the same amount regardless of hours worked. The guys that started in the morning are pissed. Any decent employer knows they – who have been slaving about all day under the burning sun – deserve to be paid more than those lazy bums that showed up for just one hour! However, the farmer reminds them who’s boss and tells them to take what has been given, as per their contract, and go home.

That, my dear friends, is the message of the gospel. The past counts for nothing, all that matters is the now. What you were 10 years ago, yesterday, an hour ago, a minute ago, even the last second, does not matter. Your past is lost in the incinerator of time. All that matters is who you are now at this very moment. At 6pm, they were all contract staff that got the job done, so they were treated equally and received the same pay.

This is why the thief could have that conversation with Jesus as they both hung dying on the cross. That’s why the apostle, Paul, could find redemption after a career in killing Christians. At the end of the day, the thief and Paul were fresh believers and followers of Jesus, forgiven and wiped clean. Forgiveness is a very blasphemous concept.

You are going to have to pardon my audacity here: In other words, at the end of WWII, someone could have preached to Hitler and if he became genuinely convicted of the gospel, as far as God is concerned, Hitler would have been a new creature. Though, he might have suffered the natural and legal consequences of his actions here on earth, from a spiritual point of view his past would have been wiped clean. He would probably have received the death penalty and be chilling with God right now. (If you were not offended before, you must be now).

Think that is atrocious? Well, if you plead mercy for yourself, you’ve got to want it for others. This too is the message of Jesus: “Blessed are the merciful; for they will be shown mercy” and “Love your neighbour as yourself”. Madness. Absolute madness.

There are two fascinating responses I have seen to this conundrum. The first is that Christianity is all a lie and it was just an historical society’s way of keeping people in check. Fair enough. (My answer might be surprising but I have nothing against people and theories that view my faith as false. Even biblical accounts refer to the foolishness of the gospel).

The second response: “Let me live my life anyway I want and when I get older, I will turn to God and do all those holy things”. If that’s your plan, I’m sorry but it’s ridiculous. For one, no one knows when they are going to die. Plus, the gospel is not a matter of doing good things and praying 10 times a day to make God happy.

Nah, it’s a renewal of mindset. Your eyes open and once you’ve seen this new light, it demands you to follow it. You find that no matter what stage of life you are in, once you truly see the truth of the gospel, it’s difficult to deny its power.

With the ‘live now, love God later’ plan, you carry the same mindset all your life, though your hands might be doing different things. The ‘love God’ phase will be all ritual and no mind. Basically, you remain the same as before.

In the grand scheme of things, salvation is a constant decision to keep going, keep moving. If any of those farm workers had left work before 6pm, he wouldn’t have received any pay, regardless of when he started work. At the end of the day, it was about getting the job done, reaching the finish line, getting to the mountain top.

Once you decide to follow Jesus, all that happened before that moment does not matter, whether good or bad. Past failures and accomplishments are regarded as nothing. You look ahead. Casting your scars and trophies aside, you fix your eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and the perfecter of faith. He is your goal.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
(Hebrews 12:1-2)