And a certain ruler asked Him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou Me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. Thou knowest the Commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. Now when Jesus heard these things, He said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven: and come, follow Me. (Luke 18:18-22)
What can we do to be saved is the eternal question, and Jesus answered the rich young ruler with the Law that this man would see his need for Christ. Since he trusted his riches and boasted of his character apart from God, Jesus pointed this out and declared the young man’s need to divest himself of earthly treasures and seek eternal riches. The young man could not do so, for that was where his heart was, and so went away sad and lost. All who would be saved must die to self and follow Jesus in faith and repentance.
The Son of God who is God the Son knew the heart of this young man and spoke directly to his need. The man correctly recognized the authority of Jesus as not just another rabbi with religious platitudes, but sent from God. Jesus pointed him to the Law, not that the Law could save him, but because the Law is our schoolmaster to point us to Christ, since we cannot keep the Law. Only God can save and all who would be saved must surrender to Him on His terms and be born again through faith and repentance. When the man boasted of his keeping the Law, when we cannot keep the whole Law apart from God, Jesus pointed out his trust in his riches and his possessions. Since the man’s heart was bound up in all that he had, he could not part from that which he trusted in, and so went away from Jesus as he had come, prideful and self-reliant. Jesus did not follow him and change the requirements or make the Gospel easier to gain the young man, for the man had to want to change and follow Christ.
The people of God must not compromise the Gospel to make it easier to gain the lost for the preaching of the Cross is foolishness to them that perish. We are to take the message of forgiveness and reconciliation to this lost and dying world that those who repent and place their faith in Jesus Christ and His finished and perfect work might be saved, but we cannot change the Gospel whether it is to pad our numbers or to bring in the rich and powerful into our congregations. Only a heart change made by the Spirit of God can give a person eternal life, it is not something that is earned but comes from God. It is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone and His Word alone is the authority which reveals Him and all glory belongs to Him alone for that which He does to change those who repent and surrender to Him on His terms. All who are alive have a choice, to receive Jesus or to reject Him, to be born again, redeemed and free from guilt, or die in their sins and remain under judgment and condemnation.
God sends those of us who are His saints and know Him out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
The Son of God who is God the Son knew the heart of this young man and spoke directly to his need. The man correctly recognized the authority of Jesus as not just another rabbi with religious platitudes, but sent from God. Jesus pointed him to the Law, not that the Law could save him, but because the Law is our schoolmaster to point us to Christ, since we cannot keep the Law. Only God can save and all who would be saved must surrender to Him on His terms and be born again through faith and repentance. When the man boasted of his keeping the Law, when we cannot keep the whole Law apart from God, Jesus pointed out his trust in his riches and his possessions. Since the man’s heart was bound up in all that he had, he could not part from that which he trusted in, and so went away from Jesus as he had come, prideful and self-reliant. Jesus did not follow him and change the requirements or make the Gospel easier to gain the young man, for the man had to want to change and follow Christ.
The people of God must not compromise the Gospel to make it easier to gain the lost for the preaching of the Cross is foolishness to them that perish. We are to take the message of forgiveness and reconciliation to this lost and dying world that those who repent and place their faith in Jesus Christ and His finished and perfect work might be saved, but we cannot change the Gospel whether it is to pad our numbers or to bring in the rich and powerful into our congregations. Only a heart change made by the Spirit of God can give a person eternal life, it is not something that is earned but comes from God. It is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone and His Word alone is the authority which reveals Him and all glory belongs to Him alone for that which He does to change those who repent and surrender to Him on His terms. All who are alive have a choice, to receive Jesus or to reject Him, to be born again, redeemed and free from guilt, or die in their sins and remain under judgment and condemnation.
God sends those of us who are His saints and know Him out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
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