Parable #1: Tickets.

Some people think believing in Christ is like getting a ticket or coupon to heaven. God must have printed a lot of tickets since each of the saved must have one good ticket. This group of people object to the statement that Christ not only died for the elect, but also for the reprobate. Their reason is one of economics.

Look, if God has printed one ticket per person, then a lot of tickets would have been unclaimed and thus wasted, thus they reasoned.

Parable #2: Gate.

Others think believing in Christ is like entering the only gate to heaven. Jesus said, I am the gate for the sheep (John 10:7). There is only one gate through which we can enter into heaven.

Behold, God has set up only one gate. It is for everyone. Whoever comes through the gate in response to God's call of mercy and grace will surely enter into heaven. Whoever does not come through the gate will remain in the hopeless and hellish darkness. The gate is INTENDED for everyone, but only the elect will actually enter through it and enjoy the benefit of salvation.

With this parable of gate, one does not need to feel that God has wasted any effort in erecting this gate. One of sound mind will not say to God: since not everyone will enter through this gate, is it somewhat wasteful to erect this gate in the first place?

To this modern day economics-consciousness, God may simply reply: it is worth erecting this gate even if there is only one individual who would eventually enter.

So much for Lao Miao's misunderstanding about God's economy of salvation. God is too gracious for us to imagine. People are often their own victims of believing a humanized small God.