Studies by Book
Luke 18 18-30 FOLLOWING JESUS TO HAVE ETERNAL LIFE 01 No one is good but God alone
📖 Luke 18:18-30
28Sep2020 - *No one is good but God alone* - _Luke 18:18-30_ - FOLLOWING JESUS TO HAVE ETERNAL LIFE 1 – Bible reading: _Romans 10:3-4_
Friends, we have completed the study of _Luke 18:15-17_ which we had titled as TO RECEIVE THE KINGDOM OF GOD AS A LITTLE CHILD. We now begin to study the next paragraph in this chapter of _Luke 18_
This paragraph is from _Luke 18:18-30_ and it is the well-known incident of the conversation between Jesus and the Rich Young Ruler. This incident is narrated in all the three synoptic gospels. We will title this study as, FOLLOWING JESUS TO HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.
This familiar story of the Rich Young Ruler is labelled such because this man was rich, he was also a ruler _(Luke 18:18)_ and since he came running and fell at the feet of Jesus, there is an understanding that he was probably younger in age.
_Luke 18:18 Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"_
_Mark 10:17 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?"_
_Matthew 19:16 Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?"_
This man was seeking eternal life. What does this search in this man tell us? It tells us that this man had found out that his riches could not give him eternal life, neither did his position. This man was desperate to have the answer to his quest. This was why he came running, he fell at the feet of Jesus and directly went into expressing the search of his heart. He did not waste a moment.
He had come to the conclusion that it would be Jesus, who could give him the answer to the painful search of his heart. He, therefore, came with the right question and he had come to the right person for his answer.
He began by addressing Jesus as “Good Teacher”. Though it sounds like a good and respectable way to address Jesus, we need to note here that this man saw Jesus only as a teacher and nothing more. He did not see Jesus as God. He did not see Jesus as the source of eternal life _I John 1:2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—_
His question was, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” We need to note the emphasis on ‘doing’. This was always the problem with the Jews and for many people. People think that they must ‘do something’ to meet the expectations of God. We understand that very well in India, for the milieu here is to ‘do’ good works to please God.
_John 6:28 Then they said to Him, "*What shall we do*, that we may work the works of God?"_ This was the place where the Jews have stumbled. _Romans 9:32 Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone._
_Romans 10:3-4 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. (4) For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes._
Christ is the end of the law for righteousness. Christ is the one to whom the Rich Young Ruler needed to have come and surrendered but he came to Jesus, considering Jesus only as a good teacher, who would give some instructions to attain eternal life.
The Lord loved him and longed for this man to know, who it was to whom he had come, asking the right question. The Lord made him consider the term, ‘good’, which the Rich Young Ruler had used.
_Luke 18:19 So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God_
Jesus longed that this man would realise that he was speaking with God. _I Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: *God was manifested in the flesh*, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory._
*Thought to ponder*
```People still want to come to God, on their terms but not to surrender to His lordship.```