The Question Of Salvation: Rich Rulers

'Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?'

So He said to him, 'Why do you call Me good? No one is good, but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the Commandments.'

He said to Him, 'Which ones?'

Jesus said, 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'

The young man said to Him, 'All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?'

Jesus said to him, 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven; and come, follow Me.'

But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Matthew 19:16-22 (NKJV)

A direct question was asked of Jesus, and He gave a starkly direct answer.

God considers this teaching so crucial that He shares this story in three Gospels.* That's a total of 43 Verses: coverage equivalent only to The Parable of the Sower (or Soils).

Both Parables focus on salvation. Each is an urgent communication. 'My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge' (Hosea 4:6). Let's study this one.

In this story, the wealthy young ruler asked Jesus the same question we’re asking. Namely, SALVATION. He’d followed God’s Rules, spoken truthfully, tithed as directed, honored his parents, loved his neighbors and lived an upright life: a seemingly noble and righteous life.

Question #1: Are tithing and rule-following enough? Aren't most pastors and elders doing both? Surely, many are! But recall this Verse: 'Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly' (James 3:1).

Now look at this Verse: ‘Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God’ (Matthew 19:24).**

The chains of wealth are seldom discarded and hardly broken.

Question #2: Why didn’t the Teacher talk about faith as a requirement for eternal life? Instead, He highlighted works to this rich, generous, and Law-abiding young Jew... except for three big Words: 'Come, follow Me.'

The Question Of Salvation: Rich Rulers (Part 4)

* Matthew 19:16-30, Mark 10:17-31, and Luke 18:18-30

** This Verse is repeated in Mark 10:25.

NOTE: This is a 2023 update of a 2013 Carey Lewis Devotion. You may see notes to 'Actors, Models & Talent for Christ.' If you think you're not in show business, think again. Shakespeare said, 'All the world's a stage and all its men and women merely players. Mostly true. But you're not merely players. You are messengers and ambassadors for the King of kings.