Our next text is Matthew 21:31. In context: 28 \u201cWhat do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, \u2018Son, go and work today in the vineyard.\u2019 29 \u201d \u2018I will not,\u2019 he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. 30 \u201cThen the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, \u2018I will, sir,\u2019 but he did not go. 31 \u201cWhich of the two did what his father wanted?\u201d \u201cThe first,\u201d they answered. Jesus said to them, \u201cI tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.<\/strong> 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.<\/em>. Our next text is Matthew 21:31. In context: 28 \u201cWhat do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, \u2018Son, go and work today in the vineyard.\u2019 29 \u201d \u2018I will not,\u2019 he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. 30 \u201cThen the father […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":197,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1743],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3954","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-kingdom-of-god"],"yoast_head":"\n
\n1. In a context about \u201cwho\u2019s in and who\u2019s out?\u201d, Jesus tells a parable to dramatize the situation.
\n2. The parable essentially teaches what can be found in the Sermon on the Mount, and esp what comes to a head in Matthew 7:13-27: it\u2019s about doing what Jesus says. It\u2019s about righteousness.
\n3. The parable is also consistent with the essential response required by Jesus: repent and believe (Mark 1:15) \u2014 that is what Jesus critiques a group (Pharisees?) for not repenting and believing in him.
\n4. Entrance into the kingdom is by way of (1) repenting and (2) believing in Jesus.
\n5. Entrance is not secured by simply confessing Jesus or by intention or by claim (21:28-30).<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"