A Rich Man, Sad, But Lost

I pray that everyone is having a good week. Remember to obey all the way what God has commanded us. For our Joshua Generation lesson today, take the time to read Matt. 19:16-22. In this record, Jesus gives us a picture of the thinking of some who are lost. As he relates the situation and words of the rich young ruler, we learn a number of lessons about obedience.

1. There are many who assume their salvation and do not take care to be sure they are obeying all that God says. This young ruler thought that whatever Jesus might say would be something he was willing to do. Jesus told the ruler that he lacked one thing. He, no doubt, thought that he had given God his life. But he was holding back. One thing can keep us out of heaven. God will forgive a million sins for the humble hearted obedient. But he will not forgive one thing for the soul whose heart he does not completely have. The “one thing” this ruler lacked was the He had not completely submitted his will to God’s. It showed in his love for wealth. We cannot partially give our heart to God. It is all or nothing.

2. There are some who learn that what they believe, how they worship or how they live is not what the Bible teaches, yet, they will still not make the changes that will please God. When this young man came to Jesus, he did not realize how much value he placed on the things he owned. But when he heard what God demanded of him, he chose to be lost.

3. Saving faith demands the readiness to change. When the ruler came to Jesus, he did not know what He might say. We are in the same position as we study the Bible. We will learn of responsibilities we did know that we have. Some of them will require great sacrifice on our part to obey (Lk. 12:51-53). Some principles and commands will require a complete change of thinking (baptism, Acts 2:38, 22:16; divorce and remarriage, Mt. 19:9). Faith is God means that we trust him enough to obey even when we do not like the command or understand the command. Consider again Abraham’s obedience in the sacrifice of his son.

4. Things will never save. All that this young man had accomplished financially and materially were useless to him in salvation. God gave him a way to use his wealth properly and have salvation, but he was “choked with the cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and brought forth no fruit to perfection” (Lk. 8:14). It is interesting that the best use of wealth, in God’s eyes, is to give it away as he told this young man. He tells us the same (1 Tim. 6:17-19). That way, we will not have the temptation to hold on to it because we never accumulate it. Since it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a (surgeon’s) needle (Lk. 18:25), a task impossible for men, would it not be better to avoid the temptation of riches than risk the loss of our soul?

5. God makes the same demands of the rich as of the poor - - obedience (Heb. 5:9; 2 Thess. 1:6-9).

6. In speaking of the possibility of the rich to be saved, Jesus said, “The things that are impossible with men are possible with God” (Luke 18:27; Mt. 19:26). No man could obey God perfectly (Rom. 3:10), so, no man could effect his own salvation. But with God, through faith and obedience, we have salvation.

Maybe these few thoughts will spur on your own study. Have a great day.

Mike Glenn