Essay Three
What Shall I do to Inherit Eternal Life?
A young man came to Jesus and asked, “Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16) What a Pandora’s box of spiritual remedies has been opened by this question posed by the rich young ruler. How easily we miss the message of hope in Christ’s answer.
In Matthews 19:17, Christ advises the young man, “But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Did Christ actually believe this young man had any hope of earning eternal life by keeping the commandments? “Therefore by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:20&23)
All these Things have I Kept, what Lack I yet?
Why didn’t Christ reply? “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) It should be obvious that this young man had not yet learned the lesson which God’s law was meant to teach. After hearing Christ outline the requirements of the law, “The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?” (Matthew 19:20)
How quick we are to commend this young man for his diligence in keeping the commandments, without ever recognizing the enormity of his pride, and total lack of understanding of the demands of God’s law. Christ’s “sermon on the mount” makes it clear what God’s law requires. “But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without cause shall be in danger of the judgment. . . But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” (Matthew 5:22&28) What young man can stand uncondemned before such a righteous law as this?
Sell what you Have and Give to the Poor
Christ, seeing the pride and unbroken spirit of the young man, in love, further increases the demands of God’s righteous law. “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.” (Matthews 19:21-22)
What a pity! If only the young man had sold his possessions and followed Christ, he could have earned eternal life. Such nonsense! If it were possible for men to earn eternal life by keeping the commandments, the kingdom of God would be populated with arrogant egotists as proud as Satan himself. Thank God we cannot meet the demands of his righteous law in the flesh. Christ put it this way: “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, then for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:24) What is true for the rich man is true for all of us, if we are trusting in our own righteousness.
The Commandments are given to Show us our Impotence
Luther, in The Bondage of the Will makes plain the role of God’s law as “our school master to bring us unto Christ.” (Galatians 3:24) ”The commandments are not given inappropriately or pointlessly; but in order that through them proud blind man may learn the plague of his own impotence, should he try to do what is commanded. Hence, the work of Satan is to hold men so that they do not recognize their wretchedness, but presume that they can do everything that is stated. But the work of Moses the lawgiver is the opposite of this, namely, through the law to lay open to man his own wretchedness, so that, by thus breaking him down, and confounding him in his self-knowledge, he may make him ready for grace, and send him to Christ to be saved.” (Bondage of the Will, pages 160 & 162)
With God All Things are Possible
In Matthew 19:25, the disciples begin to see the futility of trying to obtain eternal life under the conditions of the old covenant. “See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil.” (Deuteronomy 30:15) “When the disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, with men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”
I’m afraid that in most evangelical circles Christ would have received rather low marks for the way he witnessed to this young man. Why didn’t he concentrate on the grace of God, and keep quiet about the demands of the law?
Luther expressed it this way. “God has surely promised his grace to the humbled: that is, to those who mourn over and despair of themselves. But a man cannot be thoroughly humbled till he realizes that his salvation is utterly beyond his own powers, counsels, efforts, will and works, and depends absolutely on the will, counsel, pleasure and work of another. God alone. As long as he is persuaded that he can make even the smallest contribution to his salvation, he remains self-confident and does not utterly despair of himself, and so is not humbled before God; But plans out for himself (or at least hopes and longs for) a position, an occasion, a work, which shall bring him final salvation. But he who is out of doubt that his destiny depends entirely on the will of God despairs entirely of himself, and chooses nothing for himself, but waits for God to work in him; and such a man is very near to grace for his salvation.” (Bondage of the Will, page 100)
God is not willing that Any should Perish
I wonder if Christ is able to complete the good work which he began in that young man? If eternal life is in any way dependent upon our own merit, then the answer is no. But if salvation is wholly a work of grace by a sovereign God, then there is hope for all. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (II Peter 3:9)
Is obedience to God’s commandments an essential part of our Christian experience? Certainly! But let those good works spring forth from the fountain of the new creature which God has created in us, and let us forever abhor the notion that apart from Christ’s indwelling we can author any good work which will please God. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)