“And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 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. 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. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? 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.” (Mt 19:16-21 AV)
Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: … This statement by Jesus has perplexed some people because Jesus was good. He was also was God. This question is left unanswered. Was Jesus asking: Do you really know who I am? Do you recognize that I am the Son of God?
If we recognize who is answering the questioning of this man then the answer to us becomes very significant. What do I have to do to have eternal life? Jesus answer is; “keep the commandments”. Interestingly enough the man is not satisfied with so simple of an answer. “Which ones?” Jesus quotes the commandments dealing with our relationships to others. Can it be that easy? “I have done these things from the time I was a child: what am I still lacking?” Have I been good enough?
As I was pondering this passage of Scripture the recent DVDs put out by Ray Comfort came to mind. In his street ministry Ray occasionally asks people the question: “Are you a good person?” Most of the people he asks this question answer: “Yes I am a good person.” Of course their answer is given before he confronts them with the commandments. When he asks if the ever lied, stole, taken the Lord’s name in vain, or committed adultery, their answers reveal that they are not such good people. This man that Jesus was speaking to had followed the righteousness of the law, yet he still questioned what it was that he lacked. Maybe that was because he was confronted with one who truly was good. It is at this point that Jesus probes to the heart of the matter, and gets very personal. Sell all you have, give to the poor, and follow me.
I believe that this man’s assessment of loving God and loving his neighbor as himself was brought to bear as he was confronted with those things he was not willing to part with. The man went away sorrowful.
What must we do to obtain eternal life? This question is still pertinent today. The answer has not changed. Keep the commandments, forsake all, and follow Jesus. I know that there are those that will tell you that you can’t do this, and don’t have to because Jesus did it all for us and we don’t have to do anything. But that is not what Jesus said. The Scripture tells us that if we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved. A study of the Scripture shows us that that means we keep the commandments, forsake all, and follow Jesus. I know that we cannot do this without help from the Holy Spirit, but that is what believing in Jesus is all about. Discipleship is all about following Jesus.
“as obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the holy one who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.”” (1Pe 1:14-16 NAS95)
Bob Gunderson