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JESUS AND THE RICH YOUNG RULER (I)
MONDAY, AUGUST 18
Matthew 19:16-20:16

Romans 7:10-13

 

“…there is none good

but one, that is, God…”

 

JESUS AND THE RICH YOUNG RULER (I)
 
This story of the rich young ruler teaches the impossibility of salvation based on one’s own merit whether it be reputation, power or wealth.
 
The rich young ruler came to Jesus with a question. Unlike the Pharisees and the scribes, he questioned Jesus not to catch Him or find fault with Him. In sincerity, he humbled himself, and knelt before the Lord, asking, “Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” Jesus could see his heart. He first answered him with a question, “Why callest thou me good?” Now Jesus was not denying that He is good. As He said, “only God is good.” Since Jesus is God, He is therefore good. But this rich young ruler did not see that Jesus is God Himself. He thought of Jesus only as a very good man. Wishing to justify himself, he thought that any man who did a lot of good works could be considered “good.” The Lord had to correct his wrong view of man by telling him without equivocation: “No man is good (including you).” Read Romans 3:23 and 3:10-12.
 
It was only after telling the young ruler that only God is good, and all men are sinful that Jesus answered his question “what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” “Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother,” “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Was Jesus trying to teach that a man must do good works in order to be saved? The answer is both Yes and No. Yes because truly the commandments are “ordained to life” (Rom 7:10). If a person wants to be saved, and have eternal life, he must keep the commandments perfectly. But herein lies the problem: Man, in his totally sinful and depraved condition, is unable to keep the commandments. He is born in sin, and lives in sin. It is thus impossible for him to keep the commandments. He breaks the commandments all the time. The law is good, but he is not. The law is a sword that slays because he is not able to fulfil it. He is absolutely incapable of keeping God’s Moral Law, the Ten Commandments, in his totally depraved state.
 
THOUGHT: The law is good, but I am not.

PRAYER: Father, I cannot help myself; please help me.

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