Question:
I have been told that the Lord will save a sinner even when on his deathbed if he accepts Jesus into his heart. Is this true? 

Answer: Many people conclude that Jesus taught that lesson after reading Matthew_20:1-15. “For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man [that is] an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the nine o’clock, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, He said to them; Go also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. This continued until about the eleventh hour when he went out, and found more standing idle, and said to them, Why do you stand here all the day idle? They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said, Go into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, [that] you shall receive. So when evening came, the lord of the vineyard said to his steward, Call the laborers, and give them [their] wages, beginning from the last to the first. And when they came that [were hired] about the eleventh hour, they received every man a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a denarius. And when they had received [it], they murmured against the Goodman of the house, Saying, These last have worked but one hour, and you have made them equal to us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered them, and said, Friend, I do you no wrong: didn’t you agree with me for a denarius? Take [that] which is yours, and go your way: I will give to this last, even as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is your eye evil, because I am good?” 

We must remember, the Law of Moses was given to the Jew, not to the Gentile The Jews were arrogant and slow to accept their Gentile neighbors. Jesus is introducing them to a change and it was hard for them to accept. In Matthew_21:43 He says, “the kingdom will be taken from you and given to a nation (Gentiles) bearing the fruit of it.” Acceptance of this change continued to be a problem even in the church in Acts_11 & 15.  

Conclusion: In Matthew_20:1-15 Jesus is speaking of the same gospel for the salvation of all men, not how late in life they enter the church/kingdom. On the other hand, death bed repentance teaches that one is saved by only a confession of faith, nothing more. A careful study shows us more than confession is needed to be saved Matt. 7:21 “Not every one that says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven.”  

Bill Watkins