"WHAT MUST I DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?" LUKE 18:18 (NIV)
The rich young ruler was educated and respected. He had already achieved the three Ps of success: power, prosperity and posterity. He was a bottom-line guy who cut to the chase and asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Even the way he worded the question suggests that he thought he could get eternal life the way he had gotten everything else in life - by self-effort. So when Jesus replied, "sell all that you possess he became very sad; for he was extremely rich" (Luke 18:22-23 NAS). He had mistakenly assumed that heaven was just a payment away. But he was wrong.
Paul says, "What the law was powerless to do God did by sending His own Son." (Romans 8:3 NIV). Only a cold-hearted God would sell salvation to those who can afford it! That's a hard concept to grasp, since we have always been rewarded for our performance. But just as we wouldn't impress the space-shuttle crew with a paper airplane we had made, or we wouldn't impress a great artist with our crayon sketches, so our character and good works don't impress God. Eternal life costs more than anyone can afford. That's why we need a Redeemer!
Money wasn't this man's problem, self-sufficiency was. His problem wasn't his big income, it was his big ego. It is not just the wealthy who have difficulty grasping this truth; so do the educated, the strong, the good-looking, the popular, even the religious.
To receive salvation we must first declare that we are spiritually bankrupt; that our cupboard is bare, our reputation worthless, and our options gone. We can not approach God demanding justice - we can only come pleading for mercy.
The rich young ruler was educated and respected. He had already achieved the three Ps of success: power, prosperity and posterity. He was a bottom-line guy who cut to the chase and asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Even the way he worded the question suggests that he thought he could get eternal life the way he had gotten everything else in life - by self-effort. So when Jesus replied, "sell all that you possess he became very sad; for he was extremely rich" (Luke 18:22-23 NAS). He had mistakenly assumed that heaven was just a payment away. But he was wrong.
Paul says, "What the law was powerless to do God did by sending His own Son." (Romans 8:3 NIV). Only a cold-hearted God would sell salvation to those who can afford it! That's a hard concept to grasp, since we have always been rewarded for our performance. But just as we wouldn't impress the space-shuttle crew with a paper airplane we had made, or we wouldn't impress a great artist with our crayon sketches, so our character and good works don't impress God. Eternal life costs more than anyone can afford. That's why we need a Redeemer!
Money wasn't this man's problem, self-sufficiency was. His problem wasn't his big income, it was his big ego. It is not just the wealthy who have difficulty grasping this truth; so do the educated, the strong, the good-looking, the popular, even the religious.
To receive salvation we must first declare that we are spiritually bankrupt; that our cupboard is bare, our reputation worthless, and our options gone. We can not approach God demanding justice - we can only come pleading for mercy.
Come to Jesus today - He has a gift that is not for sell at any price waiting for you!
(c)2005 Timothy L. Hudson, UGA Christian Campus Fellowship
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