#2: “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,” Matthew 19:17.
This passage has likewise been utilized to teach that
works are necessary for salvation, since it comes from the lips of our Lord. The
one who approached Him was a wealthy young man, who seemed to have invested
interest in the prosperity gospel; that is, the richer one is the more God is
blessing him. Christ’s answer contained numerous points worth considering but
the main thrust of the message devastated the rich young man. His riches were a
hindrance that prevented him from entering God’s kingdom. Why? “Command
those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in
uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to
enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give,
willing to share,” 1st Timothy 6:17-18.
The rich young man was both haughty (being presumptuous
that he had kept the law in its entirety since his youth) and trusted in
uncertain riches, for when the Lord commanded him to give up his wealth and
share with those who truly needed it, the shot told. Rather than heeding Christ
and following Him he turned away. The finale consisted of two simple words:
follow Me, Matthew 19:21; Mark 10:21. The shift needed to be made from the rich
young man trusting in himself, that he was righteous, to trusting in the
righteousness that Jesus alone offers, see Luke 18:9-14.
This is the practical application of our Lord’s teaching
that a man cannot serve two masters, both wealth and God, Luke 16:13. Such
greed is tantamount to idolatry, Colossians 3:5. James writes that in an effort
to ingratiate ourselves so with the world we have become adulterers and enemies
of God, James 4:4. The object of our faith shifts from the living God to
affluence. The rich tend to establish treasures on earth rather than treasures “in
Heaven,” Matthew 19:21. The rich heap up treasures, according to James, but not
for their spiritual good, James 5:3. Their life on earth tends to be portrayed
as one of pleasure and indulgence, James 5:5. Jesus desired to shift the young
man’s perspective to his true need: a righteousness that law keeping could not
purchase. Listen to one former law keeper’s testimony.
“Though I might also have confidence in the
flesh. If anyone anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more
so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of
Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal,
persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law,
blameless. But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for
Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the
knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things,
and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having
my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in
Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith,” Philippians
3:4-9.
The rich young man fell victim to the deceit of legalism
and its inherent works-related salvation. “For I bear them witness that they have a
zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s
righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not
submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for
righteousness to everyone who believes,” Romans 10:2-4. Jesus our Lord
was attempting to point out his error by bringing him to the one place where he
sees his own sin: in his love for earthly things which constitutes idolatry. A
two way choice was given; the Lord commanded him to give up his fleeting riches
to follow Him.
It was Christ or the world, and the soul that throws
itself on Christ has acknowledged that they need Him, for they realize that nothing
in them can save them. The Psalmist writes: “Salvation belongs to the Lord,”
Psalm 3:8. Yahweh Himself agrees when He declares “I, even I, am the Lord, and
besides Me there is no savior,” Isaiah 43:11. Jesus alone is our Lord
and Savior, forcing every person alive to make this critical choice: do we
trust in Christ to save us? Or do we trust in our own effort? Learn the lesson
of the rich young man and his great disappointment; we either follow Christ or
we fall far short of the salvation we yearn for, but are unwilling to receive as
a gift of God’s grace, Romans 5:15.
Excellent post. Ian.
ReplyDeleteMany overlook Jesus' statement that all the law can be summed up in loving god and loving our fellow man. I John 3:23 sums it all up. "And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment." Without the first part, the rest is meaningless.