His approach is so like the tact many take today. "What must I do to get eternal life?" (Message). Two words belie his theology: get and do. These also belie this man's own internal struggle: have I done enough? Don't tell me you haven't ever thought like this... I think we all have.
Well, there is an answer, and Jesus spells it out pretty plainly. Keep the commandments. But we have to realize that to Jesus, commandment keeping looks different. If its true, as 'll my righteousness (commandment-keeping) is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6), then it must mean that even my keeping the letter of the Law is inadequate and empty. I'm going to feel this way even if I never break a commandment, and it seems to me that this was this man's issue. "Teacher, I have--from my youth--kept them all!" Well, if he had done this, why bother continuing the conversation? If commandment-keeping was enough, then as soon as Jesus told him to do that to get eternal life, the fellow should have said, "Well, cool! I've done that! See you in heaven!" But he didn't. He kept going with the conversation, seeking the answer.
I think Jesus loved this man (as it says) because he came to the conclusion that Jesus hopes everyone will come to. That is, "My righteousness, my commandment-keeping, my [fill in the blank] will NEVER BE ENOUGH to 'get' eternal life." In fact, eternal life isn't something you just get... you don't do something to acquire it or earn it. There is always going to be something, this side of heaven, that puts you in the category of law-breaker. Without total and complete surrender to Christ--His death, resurrection, will, and plan--we are all in grave trouble. It's about surrender and acceptance, not acquisition and earning. This is an incredibly hard thing for most humans to grasp. We aren't raised with this kind of mentality. Ergo the man's dissatisfaction.
What was this man's "something"? Looks to me like it was riches. A sense from this man that he "had it all" and had achieved ultimate success. He may have kept the commandments, but it looks like he kept them to acquire eternal life, just has he had worked to acquire riches (or maybe he inherited those--makes it maybe even more confusing to figure out how to earn something). Maybe, if he inherited his riches, he was thinking about why he didn't just inherit eternal life as well, since he'd inherited everything else (born with a silver spoon in his mouth).
Either way, his "something" had to be surrendered. It's not about earning. It's not about achieving or conquering. The way of Christ is surrender.
Today, I pray to know what my "something" is that I need to surrender. Maybe it's more like "somethings" (plural). God has much to do with my heart yet, and surrender is daily and it is sometimes really hard. Maybe there's a series of questions I need to ask today:
- What is the absolute most dearest thing to me in my life? (wife, children, relationships, a possession or possessions)
- Am I clinging to the dearest thing as though it's my own? (it isn't)
- Am I tempted to do something today out of a sense of obligation to Jesus, as though I need to earn His favor? Or do I think to respond to His love?
- What do I need to dispossess to enable me to follow Jesus more fully? Does this mean to literally put it out of my sight and reach, or does it mean to surrender it's use to Christ?
Father, walk with me today. Son, transform me today. Holy Spirit, reveal my "something" today that I need to surrender. May I follow You and act out of a loving response, not a desire to earn eternal life. I surrender my life to You. I surrender my dreams and intentions to You. Thank you for loving me so perfectly.
Fling laboring harvesters into Your harvest field today. Begin with me!
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