It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith (Rom 4:13).

Human beings were created as God’s children, and they were to rule over the world as heirs of the world living under God’s grace. Note that they were created at the end of the sixth day of creation.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground (Gen 1:28).”

They were created into the world where everything had been prepared and complete, and God already blessed them before they began to do anything yet—any work, labor or effort. We were created into God’s blessings and grace. This is a big truth for us.

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day (v. 31).

Nothing in this passage suggests that humans had to work for their own needs. In fact, as you go on, you find the following passage:

Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done (2:1-3).

They were created at the end of the sixth day, and when the evening came, it was “the seventh day”—the Sabbath. They were not allowed to work because it was holy. God blessed that day, and they were to praise and worship him. And nothing in the subsequent passages hints the arrival of the eighth day. So, we are still on the seventh day.

All blessings are gifts from God. They do not depend upon us—our qualifications, works and efforts. They are not wages. Wages depend upon our work, and are given in proportion to the amount of work we do. Our world is built upon the system of wages. Thus, those who are qualified and do more work earn higher wages than those who are less qualified and do less work. In this system, it is very natural for those who earn more to boast about their abilities and wealth.

Yet, God’s gift—the eternal life—cannot be given to us according to our work as if it were given as our wages. This is exactly the reason why Jesus said, “it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven (Mat 19:23).” And along this line, the parable of the denarius workers in Matt 20 teaches us a very important truth we all miss.

When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, “Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.” The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius (Matt 20:8-10).

This is not a mistake, and is a big surprise to us! Note following words of the owner:

But he answered one of them, “Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous (vv. 13-15)?”