How Do I Inherit Eternal Life?
The gospel of God’s saving grace through Jesus Christ is the never ending story. Each of the four gospels gives a different perspective of the story of salvation. According to Mark 10 beginning in verse 17, a rich young ruler came running to Jesus and asked him a question: Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? 18. And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. 19. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. 20. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. 21. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 22. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.”
Jesus knew what was in the rich man’s heart. Jesus asked him, “Why do you call me good? There is none good but God.” In another encounter with the Pharisees, an expert in the Old Testament Law asked Jesus a related question, “What is the greatest commandment?” According to Matthew 22:37-39 “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38. This is the first and great commandment. 39. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”“40. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
Jesus summarized the Ten Commandments into two commandments: To love God above all and to love thy neighbor as thyself.
John said, I write you these things so that you can know that you have eternal life. According to Ephesians, the standard of salvation is not what we do. There is another standard for inheriting eternal life. The abundant life that Jesus spoke of in John 10:10 is the spiritual life in Christ. This is a life of peace, hope, and assurance that God will never leave us or forsake us. The life of the spirit is Christ in you the hope of glory. This is the newness of life that we received by God’s grace when we were born again of His spirit.
Jesus knew what was in the rich man’s heart. The rich young ruler thought that he would inherit eternal life by his good deeds. However, according to Ephesians 2:8, by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast.
The rich young ruler said that he had followed the six of the Ten Commandments that Jesus mentioned. These commandments were about loving thy neighbor as thyself. What the rich young ruler didn’t realize is that he had broken the first commandment: Thou shalt have no other Gods before me. In other words, thou shalt have no other gods between your face and God’s face. The most important question is this: Is God your God, or is your wealth your God?
The rich young ruler’s God was his riches. Like others blessed with riches, he had options for provisions other than the Lord God Jehovah. Likewise, we Americans have been blessed with material wealth. There is irony in the American motto printed on our currency, “in God we trust.” The irony is that money itself is the God in which most Americans trust.
Therefore, Jesus said to the rich young ruler, “Go sell all your possessions, give the proceeds to the poor, and follow me.” Either money is your master whom you serve, or you serve the Lord Jesus Christ. Ye are slaves to whom ye obey. You cannot serve both God and mammon. Earthly riches are here today and gone tomorrow. As Proverbs said, material blessings shall take wings and fly away.
The people of Jesus’ time subscribed to the “prosperity gospel.” They equated material blessings with being close to God. They thought that calamities and trials of life were brought about by sin. However, according to Romans, tribulations are a blessing. For tribulation worketh patience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us.
God will teach us humility through the trials of life, especially within marriage relationships. Loving our wives is the meaning of turning the other cheek, going the second mile, and blessing those who persecute you. If we are to reconcile with our wives, we must meet each other at the foot of the cross. Jesus Christ is the one who reconciles. It’s not about me,it’s about him.
King David learned humility through trials and tribulations. David’s family put the “dys” in the definition of a dysfunctional family. However, when he repented, David was a man after God’s own heart.
Jesus said, “It’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of an needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.” The people asked Jesus, “then who can be saved?” Jesus answered, “nothing is impossible with God. With God all things are possible to him that believeth.” As Isaiah said, “though your sins be as scarlet, ye shall be as white as snow.” In order to enter into God’s presence, we must be clothed in the righteous robes of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will provide the robes to exchange for the filthy rags of our own fallen nature.
According to Ephesians, God has blessed us with so much more than material blessings. He has blessed us with his Holy Spirit. “Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus.”
He has called us as stewards of the material blessings that he’s given us. He requires that we give back to him a portion of the material wealth with which he’s blessed us. This offering acknowledges that he is our provider…that He is our sufficiency and not our material possessions. Therefore give and it shall be given to you pressed down, shaken together, and running over. God is rich in grace and mercy. He has given us all things richly to enjoy. The greatest gift is the gift of His Spirit and our greatest blessing is to bless Him.
May we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael