You are probably familiar with this famous scripture, the story of the rich young ruler who approaches Jesus to find out what he could do to get eternal life. (Mt 19:16). We shall take our text for this lesson mainly from Mt. 19.
“Jesus answered: If you want to enter eternal life, obey the commandment” (Mt. 19:17). The ruler, ever so inquisitive, asked the Lord to tell him which of the commandments he had to obey to make eternal life?
What an interesting question! The Lord Jesus simply rolled out the list of the Ten (10) Commandments, the Mosaic Law which was in force in the days of Judaism. “All these I have kept”. What still do I lack?, said the bemused ruler. Then Jesus made a most profound statement concerning the spiritual limitations of the old covenant. The Lord subtly brought out the fact of the inability of the letter (law) to save. Its imperfection dawned on the ruler who was told point-blank: “If you want to be perfect go, sell your possession, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, then follow me”, (Mt. 19:21) Jesus declared unequivocally that the “Law of Moses is imperfect because it cannot save.”
The Bible tells us in the next verse that when the young millionaire-ruler heard this, he became sad and went away because he had great wealth. Then, Jesus, seeing this, made that often misunderstood statement in Mt. 19:23 “I tell you the truth; it is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Again, I tell you, 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”. There’re two basic and very fundamental lessons we could learn from this text. One, the law can only lead you to death (Rm. 8:1-4); while it is by Grace only, which is in Christ Jesus can a man be saved.
Read the whole of Roman 8 for the Apostle Paul’s remarkable expose on this subject of law versus grace. Clearly, the letter killeth. That is why the young rich ruler and others in the old covenant could not be saved by it. So, to get eternal life, all you need to today is follow Jesus and lay up your treasures in heaven, where neither armed robbers, 419ners (fraudsters) nor moth could plunder or ruin.
When you follow Jesus Christ, you lay up your treasure in heaven, and where a man’s treasure is, there his heart will be also. This is by no means a suggestion that God oppose the rich or wealth creation. Not at all! Indeed, Jesus, though rich, become poor because of our own poverty so that we may become rich thereby. That is what GRACE is all about. It is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.
All the blessing in a vintage scripture like Deut.28 are given to believers who obey the law. But nobody living or dead, was able to walk in complete obedience except Jesus who came to fulfill and not abolish the law.
Therefore, in obedience to Christ who fulfilled the law, Christian believers can appropriate all the blessings in the classic scripture (Deut.28). Also remember, Abraham, who was called a friend of God, was rich; so also was Isaac, his son and many other great saints. Joseph of Arimathae, who paid Pilate for the body of Jesus after the crucifixion for burial in his own tomb was a rich man; so was Philemon, a friend of Paul, who supported his ministry.
What the Lord Jesus was saying is that wealth sourced outside the Kingdom, that is not based on godly values and, precepts or tenets, can only take you to hell. Such riches will most likely make you LACK the most vital thing in life- JESUS and the Grace of God that He brings for the total salvation of mankind. So brethren, as you read this today, ask yourself: What do I still lack? Money, Power, or any other thing can’t save you, only Jesus can. Lay up your treasure in heaven by doing the Kingdom work; you’d find security, not only for your wealth, but eternal salvation for your soul. Follow Jesus, the only man who ever walked in perfection if you want to attain eternal life. Share this lesson with someone today and you’d be richly blessed. We are told in Daniel 12:3 that “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of heaven and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever”.
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