"Eternal Life"

Impossible with Men, but Possible with God Alone

by Bernie L. Gillespie © March 9, 1997. All Rights Reserved.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." (Mk. 10:17-27 NIV.)

FOUR KINDS OF PEOPLE

When it comes to the assurance of salvation, there are four kinds of people in the world. So says R. C. Sproul and I must agree with him. They are: 1) Those who are not saved and they know it; 2) Those who are saved, but are not sure they are; 3) Those who are saved, and know it; 4) Those who are not saved, but are "sure" they are. As Jim Ellis says, "This last group admits no members." That is because no one outwardly claims to be part of this group. In this article we are going to look at a person who fits into one of these categories. This man held a personal audience with Jesus, and had the sacred privilege to ask Christ his deepest question. Let us see which of the four kinds of people this rich, young, ruler is.

THE GOSPEL CREATES CONTROVERSY

Martin Luther, at the end of his life, worried about the future of the Church. The Reformation occurred because of the marvelous rediscovery of the Gospel. Nevertheless, He feared that in the next generation it might be lost again. He stated that when the Gospel is preached in its fullness and clarity it creates controversy. When no controversy exists it is a sign that the Gospel is compromised.

By reading the Gospels, we can plainly see that Jesus’ telling of the Gospel brought with it intense and ominous controversy. It caused Him to leave Nazareth for Capernaum. Then it caused Him to leave Capernaum for Jerusalem. Ultimately in Jerusalem, even the Pharisees teamed up with the Herodians, Sadducees, Priests, and Romans to kill Jesus.

Our story finds Jesus as He is nearing the end of His ministry and His life. He is traveling to Jerusalem from Galilee for the final time. In a matter of days, He will make his ride into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. The question of the rich young ruler comes at a pertinent time in Christ’s ministry.

THE GREATEST QUESTION

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" (17)

What was the greatest question ever put to Jesus? We may wish that we could meet face- to-face and ask Him our toughest questions. This young ruler had that opportunity to do just that. It was more than a "White House coffee." The question he asked was a great one, at least on the surface. He asked Jesus: "What must I do to inherit eternal life?"

Before going further, please notice his manner of approach: "He came running," which shows that he was eager, energetic and intense about finding eternal life. He "knelt down," revealing that he was humble and respectful. He gave a reverent greeting by calling Jesus, "Good Teacher." This man had all of that for which modern people work and live. He was very rich. Money was not a problem. He had youth. Which means vitality, energy, and health. His whole life was yet ahead of him. He was a ruler. He had real power. Even more, he was very religious. Yet, all was not well with him.

Notice what he asked. "What must I do to have eternal life?" At first glance, the question is the most noble and poignant of many of those asked of Jesus. However, when examined closely, it is glaring in what it says about the belief system of this rich young man. The phrase "inherit eternal life" was a fixed expression in Judaism, which meant receiving, "the life assigned by God to the righteous." [Leon Morris, Mark, p. 365] He was asking a question about saving righteousness. He was asking Jesus to tell him how much righteousness he would need in order for God to assign him life eternal.

The rich, young, ruler asks what must "I" do, as though he were the center or source of the answer for obtaining eternal life. Now look closely at how he phrases the problem. He assumes that it is something that HE must DO. He is trying to find in his own performance the secret for meriting the gift of eternity. It is as though he thinks that within himself there is a basic goodness that only needs the right adjustment or a measure of education or enlightenment to get him over the hump. HE BELIEVES THAT THE ANSWER LIES WITHIN HIMSELF. AND HE TRUSTS THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT HE CAN DO.

What else does his question reveal about him? He is asking Jesus if there is anything beyond the Law that is necessary to be right with God. But why would He ask this? It would not be necessary if he were truly confident that he had obeyed all of the Law. I believe he asks this because HE UNCONSCIOUSLY LACKS ASSURANCE. Although he has kept the Law (he thinks), he still does not feel right. Ironically, He consciously thinks he is saved - even when he isn’t. God’s Spirit leads him Jesus to have his false assurance tested.

THE QUESTION OF GOODNESS

"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good-- except God alone." (18)

Jesus put a question to the rich young man: "Why do you call me good?" No parallels exist in Jewish literature for calling someone a "good teacher." [Morris, Mark, p. 364-5] This means that the rich young ruler was paying Jesus the most unique of honors. Jesus penetrated to the real issue and revealed a corrupted understanding of righteousness. He categorically stated that only God is good. To think of a human in the same terms as God is misguided thinking. The rich ruler wanted to know what he might need to do to be sure that there were no loop holes in his righteousness. Was there something that might prevent him from attaining the pinnacle of faith - everlasting life - life with God? Jesus struck a fatal blow at the whole edifice of his theology and confidence. His definition of righteousness was abysmal. His standard was inadequate. IT WAS BASED ON HUMAN RIGHTEOUSNESS RATHER THAN GOD’S.

You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'" "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy." Jesus looked at him and loved him.

Notice that Jesus quotes from the second table of the Law first. It is as though He is leading this young man up to something. It appears that Christ was giving him space to reflect on his own misguided understanding of personal righteousness.

A most significant truth is, that, even while the rich man was not good or righteous in himself, Jesus loved him. What does this tells us about the way God values us. Our righteousness is not the basis of Christ’s love. His love is a grace which transcends a value based on our righteousness or goodness. Ironically, there are many Christians who value others on the basis of their personal righteousness and performance. I believe this is because of three things: 1) They do not understand the holiness of God. If they did, they would realize that no one could ever be loved by God on the basis of their righteousness or personal performance. 2) They do not understand the falleness of the human nature. There is an unbiblical confidence that we can attain to acceptance with God on the basis of what we do. 3) They do not realize that God’s love is a gift. He loves us not because of something within us that merits it, but because there is something good in the character of God.

"One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. (19-22)

To prove his self-righteousness to him, Jesus asked him to give up his false gods for the way of the true God - the God incarnate. When he told him to give what he had to the poor, he turned back because he wanted his power and possession - his self assurance based on performance - more than to trust completely in the living God. Jesus showed him that he had not even kept the first commandment, let alone the whole Law. He had failed to honor the Law at its most critical point. He neither worshiped God nor believed in God’s Word, though he sincerely thought that he had. It is not sincerely believing that one has done the right things that actually makes one right with God. It is righteousness which God accepts that all need.

WHO THEN CAN BE SAVED?

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." (23-27)

Jesus told the disciples twice (for emphasis) that it was impossible for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of heaven. Be careful in how you take this statement of Jesus. It is not merely a question about money. The fact is, we all have riches: Life, Family, Home, Job. Jesus was speaking about more than personal possessions. He was speaking about the false confidence humans have in trusting in what they possess. This is most acutely demonstrated in the confidence we as humans have about our personal righteousness. Jesus said, on the basis of what we possess, it is impossible to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

The disciples were aghast and moaned despairingly, "Who then can be saved?" They were not asking a question, but were speaking rhetorically. They expressed the hopelessness that they felt about the possibility that anyone could measure up to Christ’s criteria or standard.

Jesus did not leave them in their despair. He used this dramatic moment to declare to them the deeper truth, the truth of the Gospel. He said, "With men this is impossible." Why did He say this? Because he was expressing that WE are not the answer. Neither is there anything within us or that we can do that will attain for us eternal life. But he also said, "But with God all things are possible" It was impossible for us to attain to the measure of goodness necessary to obtain eternal life. BUT, IT WAS NOT IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD INCARNATE. Only He could offer His righteousness to us. Only the righteousness of Christ was adequate to bring us faultless before God. Through Jesus, God made a way for us to enter the kingdom. By the blood of Jesus, through His righteousness imputed to us, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly. Because all our human means failed and our personal performance was worthless, Christ became our righteousness!!

The view held by the rich, young ruler was common in his day and culture. He thought that his own righteousness would enable him to stand before the judgment of the Holy, Almighty God. But, His view of God was too small. He actually trusted that he could do what God expected of him. He failed to grasp what Isaiah meant when he declared:

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. (Isa. 64:6 NIV)

Not only are our evil acts sinful, but OUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS ARE SINFUL AS WELL. The prophet compared the righteous acts of keeping the Law as a filthy rags (Hebrew for a woman’s menstrual cloth). How can this be? Because God is so Holy that even our greatest goodness, in our Fallen state, is evil compared with God. On the best and most holy moment, at the most dedicated and spiritual moment of your life, you and I still fall far short of God’s glory. That is the real nature of sin. We fall short of the glory which God intended for us. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Rom. 3:23)

LAW AND GOSPEL

One of the most important distinctions to make in reading the Bible is the distinction between Law and Gospel. It is the most basic division of Scripture. If one confuses Law and Gospel, all other doctrines which one formulates will be corrupted as a result. Nothing has been more misunderstood, and yet nothing is more critical to biblical doctrine than the meaning of Law and Gospel.

The Law was given as the stipulations of the covenant which God made with Israel through Moses. They were given to test Israel’s faithfulness to the covenant. As long as Israel obeyed these stipulations or commandments, they would be counted faithful to the covenant and God would do what He had promised. The history of Israel as recorded in Scripture demonstrates that Israel did not keep God’s commandment. They violated the covenant and came under the judgment of God over and over again.

What needs to be understood is why Israel did not keep the Law. IT WAS BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT. God was holy and they were sinful. When Joshua asked the people of Israel if they would serve the Lord in the land of Canaan, they said, "Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods!" (Joshua 24:16) Joshua rejoined, "You are not able to serve the LORD. He is a holy God . . ." (V. 19) The problem was not that they would not, it was because they COULD NOT. GOD WAS TOO HOLY AND THEY WERE TOO SINFUL. The gap was too great to span from the human side.

The fundamental problem humans have with the Law is that they cannot keep it. "For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature," (Rom. 8:3) Apostle Paul gave a litany of quotations from the Old Testament in Romans three about the total sinfulness of all people. "No one is righteous," "no one seeks God," "no one does good." He concluded that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." This is why he says, "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law, rather, through the law we become conscious of sin." (Rom. 3:20). The Law was not able to save us (Heb. 7:19) because our sinful nature prevented it. THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW IS TO SHOW US OUR SIN. Like a spiritual litmus the Law draws out and traces our sinfulness.

If we could keep the Law we would be right with God. At least this is true in theory. The problem is that no one has ever keep the entire Law perfectly. Not until Jesus. It is intriguing to observe that in Jesus’ preaching, he gave the Law to those who were self-righteous, but the Gospel or mercy he gave to those who were conscious of their sinfulness. (cp. the Pharisees in Mt. 23 with the adulterous woman in John 8:1-11) He castigated the teachers of the Law with prophetic woes because they trusted in their own righteousness. This self-righteousness was maintained in a false confidence that they could and did indeed keep all of the Law. Jesus gave them Law to drive them to His grace.

Jesus told his disciples that their righteousness had to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees (Mt. 5:20). If they broke one commandment they violated the whole Law (v. 19; James 2:10) He told them His standard for righteousness: "Be ye perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect. (v. 48)" This was staggering to them. It was a standard higher than anyone could keep. Jesus was not telling them they could produce a greater righteousness than the Pharisees. He was telling them that the righteousness of even the Pharisees was not enough. God’s standard for holiness and righteousness is HIS OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS.

When asked about the greatest commandment, Christ summarized all 613 ordinances of the Torah, the pronouncements of all the Prophets, the wisdom of the Sages, all of the interpretations of the Targums, all of the oral law (Mishnah) and all Jewish Midrash, into two commandments. "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Mt. 22:37-40)

We should not assume because Jesus simplified the Law that He reduced its force or weight. On the contrary, He merely focuses and intensifies it. Keeping the Law means to love God with every single ounce of your being, every moment, of every day, of every year, from the time you are born, to the last breath you take. We are not just to keep the Law perfectly without violating its commandments. We are to do so with joy and out of love without any trace of hesitancy or reluctance. And add to that, you must love your neighbor with the same passion that you have for your own personal care and survival. Just as we might devote the bulk of our waking moments to our own welfare and betterment, we are to turn that outwardly and give it to all others. NO ONE HAS EVER DONE THIS . . . EXCEPT JESUS CHRIST.

The second significant purpose of the Law was to drive us to Christ. The Law was "our schoolmaster (disciplinarian) to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." (Galatians 3:24 KJV) The ultimate purpose of the Law was to lead us to justification by faith in Jesus Christ. We cannot be righteous through keeping Law. We cannot be justified by our own works. That is why we are doomed without the righteousness of another.

Why did Jesus come into this world as a child and live all of thirty three years? One of the main reasons was to live the life of perfect obedience we failed to live. Jesus testified, "And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him." (Jn 8:29) Jesus lived a sinless life (2 Cor 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 9:14; 1 Pet. 1:19). Even more, Jesus lived a life of perfect obedience. He did so for our sakes that He might fulfill the Law: "For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit." (Rom. 8:3,4) He did it to destroy the power of sin (which acquired its strength through the Law), throw off the tyranny of the Devil (which sin invited), and quench death (which was the punishment for those who broke the Law).

It was this righteousness which Jesus credited (reckoned, imputed, accounted) to us. The Scriptures teach: "But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." (Rom. 3:21,22) The reason that this righteousness can only come by faith is that it is a gift. It comes to us by grace. If we do anything to "get it" then it is not by grace. This simple truth is totally missed or misunderstood by many Christians. Paul made it clear that our salvation comes by faith because it was given by grace: "The promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace . . ." (Rom. 4:16)

One of the traps that many Christians fall into is believing that after they have been made right with God by grace or the work of the Holy Spirit, they then must become righteous by keeping the Law (or other commandments of men). It is stated different ways by different groups. Some will say that now that God had given you grace you have the power to obey and thereby be right with God. The Mormons teach that we do our best and then God’s grace takes care of the rest. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that grace gives you the power to obey and thereby cooperate with God in your salvation. (This is the position of Semi-Pelagianism, which is a heresy). Others speak in terms of the Holy Ghost. They say that since we have the Holy Ghost we have the power to never sin and therefore we can keep the Law. Take warning. This is the error of the Galatians recreated. To make this mistake is to fail to listen to Paul’s admonishment in the book of Galatians.

First of all, John told Christians: "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." (1 Jn. 1:8). Secondly, Paul’s statements that none are justified by the works of the Law still apply to all Christians (Rom. 3:20; 8:3; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 7:19). He wrote the book of Romans to Christians. Thirdly, Paul gave an extensive and profound warning to the Galatians about the error of Christians returning to the Law for their righteousness: 

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? Have you suffered so much for nothing-- if it really was for nothing? Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." (Gal. 3:1-11)

SORROWFUL OR ASSURED?

The rich young man, rather than turn from his "riches" and religious piety to follow Jesus to the Cross, turned and walked away. He was crestfallen and dispirited. His face became dark and threatening. He left Jesus "sorrowful" or grieving. The Greek form used for "sorrowful" (from lupew) only appears once in the N.T. and that is here in this verse. It’s root is used by Jesus to refer to the dark, stormy sky before the storm let’s loose. This word is a "sister" word used to describe the disciples grief when Jesus told them he was going to be killed. It is also used to describe the disciples after Jesus told them that one of them would betray him. Paul employed it when he warned about "grieving the Holy Ghost." It means to be filled with great regret.

Ironically, for some, the initial preaching of the Gospel makes them more sorrowful and reluctant. Why? Because it means giving up what they have trusted in all of their life. They tragically hold on to their tradition and self-righteousness rather than accept the righteousness which comes from Christ alone. I have observed many, who claim Christ, to suffer from depression, emotional disorders, and other deeply disturbing psychological problems. A number of these have been ministers and their wives. How can this be? Why the dark countenance on the face of the "righteous"? Why do some Christians always look glum or angry? Why a scowl rather than joy? Because their teachers have not taught them correctly about the righteousness of God that comes by faith as an act of God’s overwhelming grace! (Rom 10:3)

Rather than leave with regret, grief, or sorrow, one can follow Jesus with assurance, faith, and hope. When one realizes that one’s righteousness is far short of God’s; And when one realizes that Jesus, as God’s Righteous One, died and rose again to give us His righteousness; And when one trusts with all one’s heart that, through Jesus’ imputed righteousness, one is right with God; then and only then can one inherit eternal life. Rather than sorrow, one is assured of salvation, and knows the peace that passes understanding, then, one follows with hope in Christ Jesus and Him alone.

Which way will you go? Dark and threatening? Despairing and crestfallen? Or radiating with the assurance of Jesus Christ and the true peace of God? It all depends on whether you give up on "what is impossible with men" and believe that "all things are possible with God." Even your salvation.