Now as he was going out
on the road,
one came running,
knelt before Him,
and asked Him,
Good teacher,
what shall I do
that I may inherit
eternal life?
Mark 10:17 (cf. Matthew 19:16)
This same narrative told to us in both Gospels is most striking for in it we can see the heart of Jesus Christ. How different is His approach to that question, than what is being preached in many Churches: "How can I inherit eternal life"? Many are running from Church to Church looking for the "right" one, the one that can give the answer that they are looking for, the one that will cause them to have the "feeling" of assurance that they have found the way to eternal life. Have they? For many seekers the answer is in the Charismatic or Pentecostal movement, or in some Church that emphasizes on the Gifts of the Spirit, or a second baptism as though they have the answer. I have taken much time to point out that we are not to just have our sense titilated, a euphoric feeling, a participation in group euphoria, that the Gifts of the Spirit are given to a person by the will of God, to whom He chooses, and for a specific purpose. The greatest purpose for the Gifts of the Spirit are for the benefit of the Church, and for the propagation of the Gospel. God's people are not separated to demonstrate some gift, no, to believe that the gifts are signs of God's approval, and the answer to eternal life is mistaken: "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness" (Matthew 7:22-23)! Those to whom Jesus was speaking of were those who were running, doing, and believing that what they were doing would give them and answer, a way to eternal life: they were wrong! This Greek contracted adverb is to never, over time, have not: known. A person may have a deep interest in religion, as did the young man who came and knelt before Jesus seeking the way to eternal life. This man was enthusiastic in his search for the truth; he was looking for spiritual truth. He was a moral man; but his reality was in his goodness for did he not make clear and admitted he kept the law? Yes! "You know the commandments; 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.' And he answered and said to Him, 'Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth" (Mark 10:19-20). Jesus was not impressed by those works, for he was doing only that which he was supposed to be doing, but the rich young ruler had missed the very point. He was seeking to find for himself a joy, a personal experience of salvation, something greater, something that he felt he was missing, he had a vital need for an answer. It was all about himself, even though he seemed to have a desire for the truth. He wanted personal holiness. So many today want exactly what this young man wanted, but they are looking in all the wrong places (There is a song to that effect). Reality is not in yours or my goodness, nor holiness, nor heaven, nor hell: it is in Redemption and to perceive this reality is the greatest and vital need of a Christian worker. The only reality, the revelation given to us by God is: Redemption for it is the only Reality. Personal holiness is an effect, not a cause. To place our faith in human goodness, in the effect of Redemption, is to place our faith in the effect and when a test comes, we shall succumb, one way or the other.
We are not to be separated so that we can please God by works that are of us and not of and by Him. We are separated to do good works, yes! We are not to have a hypersensitive interest in ourselves. We are not to look upon our personal witness for if we do, then all we have done is to remove from us the reality of Redemption. If our focus is on our personal holiness, then Redemption has a meaning far from that what God means, in fact, our wrongful focus will be for that experience and not for God. Coming in to contact with Redemption, that reality, may be shocking to you for Jesus did not accept the young ruler, even though the man could account for his life that kept the law, no He did not! When Jesus asked him to sell his riches, the young man went away, sad. Jesus did not run after him, the old hymn, "Just as I am" was not played over and over until he would change and come to Jesus, Jesus did not cry, or shout, or emotionally call him back, no! We are asked to sell everything, to come to Him and give up those things, those riches, whatever they are, and follow Him; "When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, 'Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Mark 8:34). There is nothing a person can do to make himself more desirable to God. If you focus on your supposed holiness, and seek God in dishonorable ways then all you are doing is asking for God and wanting God is to do for you. The reality of the Gospel is far removed from you. God has not touched you, there is no reckless abandonment to God. God cannot deliver a person when their focus is on themselves, while a person interest is in his/her character.
We have one purpose to be separated from this world, that purpose is to be abandoned to God and to proclaim the Gospel of God. There are effects of Redemption that accompanies that abandonment; it is the fruit of the Spirit. This is what is to be demonstrated in our lives: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is not law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22-25). The Gospel is all about Christ and his oblation, death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven to sit at the right hand of God making infinite, eternal, intercession for all to whom He came to save; it is all about Redemption, it is Redemption that is reality. Let us examine our work(s) and if those works are bringing forth the fruit of the Spirit we can rejoice in ourselves alone, and not in any other thing or person: (Galatians 6:4).
Who shall ascend into the hill
of the LORD?
Or hwo may stand in His holy place?
He who has clean hands and
a pure heart, who has not lifted up
his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully.
Psalm 24:3-4
Be Lifted Up Today: Jesus Reigns
Richard L. Crumb
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