Expert: Dr Don Howe - 11/8/2011

Question
Dr Howe, In Matthew 19:16-22, a young man asked Jesus what should he do to have eternal life. Jesus' response nevertheless appeared to focus more on his willingness to give up his wealth than on salvation as we know it. Where does God's grace come in?"

Answer
Eddie, you stated "Jesus' response nevertheless appeared to focus more on his willingness to give up his wealth than on salvation. Where does God's grace come in?" God's grace was present because God exhibited His grace because He had already sent His best which was Jesus who is both God and Man. So this Young Ruler was seeing God in the flesh, so God's grace was present before his very face.

But the Young Ruler thought that he could earn his way into Heaven by being good. No one gets into Heaven by being good. In fact good people go to Hell, but BORN AGAIN people go to Heaven. The Young Ruler is like people in every church in America. “I can earn my way to Heaven.”

Many in the church today do not want to be totally committed to the Lord because it demands too much of them. Listen to this analogy. A chicken and a pig came upon a church building and read the advertisement on the billboard out front, which read, "Help Us Feed the Poor." Immediately the chicken suggested they help feed the poor with bacon and eggs. The pig thought for a moment and said, "There is one thing wrong with feeding bacon and eggs to the poor. For you it only requires a contribution, but for me it requires total commitment."

So it is with people who call themselves Christian  want to make a contribution by “being good”  (LIKE THE CHICKEN) but they are not totally committed (LIKE THE PIG) to the Lord Jesus and what he did on the cross for them. They want to play Church every Sunday but they do the work of the Church and be the Church. Many in the church today do not want to be totally committed to the Lord because it demands too much of them.

Matt. 19:16 states “And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” The “one” here is the Young Ruler and he came to Jesus for a reason. Stating “what good thing shall I do.” The word shall is poieō in the Greek which means to acquire, make ready, or to prepare. The young ruler is saying  what good thing I prepare or make ready so that I may have eternal life.  This really a humanistic remark by today‘s terms.
This young ruler had an uncommitted focus on Self rather than the ways and work of God. He is self-centered and exhibits a works-righteousness.  Just like today self-centeredness is the hallmark of our society today. The only thing that people seem to care about is their own desires, their own wishes, their own satisfaction no matter what the cost or the consequences.
Walvoord and Zuck states on this “the ruler was not asking how he could earn salvation. Instead, he wondered how he could be assured of entering Messiah’s kingdom. He wanted to know what “good” (work) would demonstrate that he was righteous and therefore qualified for the kingdom.”

Matthew 19:17 states “And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? [there is] none good but one, [that is], God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.”
In the statement “ Why callest thou me good,” “Jesus does not deny His own goodness. Instead, He asks the man, “Do you understand what you are saying when you call Me good” (Guzik).
Jesus goes onto say there is no one who is good, but God Himself. But if you want to enter the life eternal “you keep the commandments.” David Guzik states about keeping  the commandments,  “Jesus’ answer to the man’s question is straightforward. If you want to gain eternal life by your doing, you must keep the commandments - all of them, and in the fullest sense.”  Walvoord and Zuck states “when the man (young ruler) did not reply, Jesus indicated that life (i.e. life in God’s kingdom) can be entered only if one gives evidence that he is righteous. Since the official standard of righteousness was the Law of Moses, Jesus told the man to obey the commandments.”

Matthew 19:18-19 states “He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,  Honour thy father and [thy] mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Note Jesus gave the part of Mosiac Law in which primarily deal with a man’s relation to man.

Matthew 19:20 states “The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?” The young ruler stated he had kept the commandments that Jesus spoke about since his youth, but he did not keep all them or he would not have said “what lack I yet?” From this statement there was still something lacking in his life, reflecting a lack in his relationship with God. Its not about keeping a bunch of do’s and don’ts. Its about keeping the laws of GRACE and MERCY and obeying the commandments to live a holy life. Its not about keeping a bunch of do’s and don’ts. Its about keeping the laws of grace and mercy and obeying the commandments to live a holy life.

Matthew 19:21 states “Jesus said unto him, 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.” Jesus is not focusing on the man’s wealth but he is focusing that he has to humble himself, give up idol of money, and put God first. “The call to forsake everything and follow Jesus is a call to put God first in all things. It is full obedience to the first table of the law, which dealt with a man’s relation to God” (Guzik).
If the young ruler did sell all his possessions and give it to the poor would demonstrate inner righteousness. If he were righteous (based on faith in Jesus as God), he should have given his wealth to the poor and followed Jesus.
We can go back to what was said earlier about the church today has an  uncommitted focus on riches of the here and now rather than the riches of Heaven.  The church of today worships their  idols more than God. So it  comes back to work salvation, work righteousness, and not humble ourselves to show the mercy and grace of God Almighty.

Matthew 19:22 states  “But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.”The  wealthy questioner fails utterly. Money is his god; he is guilty of idolatry, and this is why Jesus, knowing the man’s heart, asked him to renounce his possessions” (Guzik).
God shows his mercy and grace by showing the Young Ruler that we must  humble himself and give up his idol of money .

I hope this helps.

Blessings,

Dr Don Howe, RN, PhD, ThD