THE certain ruler (Luke 18:18-3018And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 19And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. 20Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor thy father and thy mother. 21And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. 22Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. 23And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. 24And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 25For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 26And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? 27And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. 28Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee. 29And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, 30Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting. (Luke 18:18‑30)) is a divinely given example of a great many.
He wanted eternal life without Christ.
If he could inherit eternal life by any merit of his own he would do it. And indeed he was an exemplary character.
Not many can say what he did.
People say, “As long as we live a good life, we are all right.” But can you say even as this ruler, “All these have I kept from my youth up”? They were the commandments relating to men, as living together, and to parents. But the Lord Jesus was here not only in things relating to men but to God.
But Christ was the Tree of life. Adam chose to take up the knowledge of good and evil. And still thousands of people prefer to do their best instead of believing in Christ.
How graciously the Lord speaks: “One thing thou lackest”; do it, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me. Treasure in heaven was unheard of; a long life on earth was promised to those who obeyed the law, but not heaven! Christ was here on earth; with Him was all the treasure of heaven. To be with Him was to enjoy heaven on earth.
What were the riches of earth compared to this!
The ruler lacked faith in Christ, or he would have left all, as Peter had, to follow Him.
Christ the Lord is not here; He went on to the cross, where He died for sinners, where He, in His exceeding grace, became so poor that by His poverty all who believe in Him may be rich.
He not only fulfilled every detail of the law in regard to man, but also to God. He is in heaven now with all the treasures of heaven at His disposal.
Are you trusting in your own merit, or in Christ?
It is not now to sell all your earthly possessions, and give to the poor, that was peculiar to the moment, but now faith in Christ brings heavenly and eternal blessing.
He is available to all, being Lord of all (see Rom. 10:1212For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. (Romans 10:12)). God has been glorified in regard of the question of good and evil; man has been proved totally unable to answer to his responsibility, altogether unequal to the task.
Every one has come short of the glory of God, although men may, like the Pharisee of old, pride themselves on what good they consider they do; but the judgment of God is upon sin, and all have sinned. What glad tidings, then, that Christ has taken up the question, and settled it to God’s satisfaction, and is now the glorious object of faith. By Him all who believe are justified from all things. L. O. L.