Jesus confronts the question what wealth can do to a person related to his desire
to be saved, to follow God, and to live for God.
A rich man came to Jesus and asked what good thing he must do to inherit eternal life. That is, to be admitted into God's Heaven (being saved by one's own work)
(Mat 19:16). He believed the following:
- Eternal life with God can be earned.
- The payment for eternal life with God is good works.
- He was potentially good enough to make the payment.
The Jews at that time believed that their salvation was based on what good things they did, that they kept the Mosaic Laws, and that it was possible to keep those Laws. This was also taught by the Pharisees at that time. God never promised eternal life to those who kept the Mosaic Laws. What God promised was to bless the Jews in the Promised Land if they kept these Laws. However, the Jews began to believe that it also provided a free ticket to Heaven with God.
A common belief today is to hope that all the good deeds they do outweigh the bad things they do. In this way, they will be admitted to God's Heaven when they die.
Jesus answered the man that only one is good (Mat 19:17a). Only God is good (Mark 10:18, Luk 18:19). This means that no man is good according to Jesus.
We are all sinners (Rom 3:23, Isaiah 64:6), and we all need a Savior (Rom 3:24).
No person can be good enough by trying to keep all the Laws with the intention of inheriting eternal life in Heaven with God (James 2:10, Gal 5:4). Salvation is always received by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (John 6:27–29, Eph 2:8–9).
See also What Happens to Those Who Have Never Heard About Jesus?
The rich man said that he had kept all the commandments, even the one to love his neighbor as himself, and asked what more he should do (Mat 19:18–20). Jesus told him that if he wanted to be perfect, he would sell all he had and give it to the poor, then he would have a treasure in Heaven, and then he would come and follow Jesus (Mat 19:21, Mark 10:21, Luk 18:22). When the young man heard that word, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions (Mat 19:22, Mark 10:22).
Jesus exposed the self-deception this man was living under. He didn't keep all the
Laws. If he truly loved his neighbor as himself, there should be no problem in selling all he had and giving to the poor. But he couldn't do that because he had great possessions. Riches can take hold of a person's heart (1 Tim 6:6–10). Jesus even said that it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God (Mat 19:24, Mark 10:25, Luk 18:25).
This young wealthy man had not kept the commandments in the Mosaic Laws as
he said. Nobody can. No one can get into God's Heaven by being good enough,
by keeping all the Mosaic Laws, which he believed was possible (Rom 3:19–20). But what is impossible for man is possible for God (Mat 19:26, Mark 10:27, Luk 18:27).
It's only possible by grace through faith in Jesus Christ to be saved (John 14:6),
see Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life and Jesus and the Law.
Another person who was an expert in the Laws asked Jesus the same question
but with the intention of testing him (Luk 10:25). Jesus gave him the same answer, that is, to love your neighbor as yourself (Luk 10:26–28). See this explained at time
2:50–11:57 in Luke 10 (Part 3) 25-42 • The Good Samaritan and the Good Sister
and in The Parable of the Good Samaritan.
The God-fearing people in the Bible who were also very rich, such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David, put their trust in God and not in their riches, see
The Love of Money. That faith enabled them to be saved. It's always faith and trust in Jesus Christ that makes the impossible possible. No one is good but God, as Jesus said. We can't save ourselves by good works (Luk 13:1–5).
This young man's attitude can be compared to the man who had no wedding garment in The Parable of the Wedding Feast. We can’t be justified and saved by
our own works or by being good enough. Believing is a decision we make. We must receive Jesus into our heart (John 1:12). Righteousness is imputed to us by doing so. It means getting a right standing with God. We haven't earned it, it has been given to us as a free gift when we come to Christ (Isaiah 61:10). It's the righteousness of Christ that we literally put on almost like clothing.
The response of this rich man can be compared to the response of another rich man, Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector (Luk 19:2). He was seen as a sinner
(Luk 19:7). Jesus said to him: "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today." The man received Jesus joyfully and said to Jesus: "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold." Jesus answered him: "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." (Luk 19:5–6, 8–10). The response of Zacchaeus shows what biblical repentance is all about (2 Cor 7:10–11). He voluntarily gave away a significant amount of money to the poor without Jesus having to say anything about it. True
repentance often results in some form of action. Note that it's those who believe in Jesus who are the sons of Abraham (Rom 9:7, Gal 3:7). Zacchaeus had expressed true faith in Jesus.
Some people respond to grief with repentance as Zacchaeus did, and some with worldly sorrow that leads do death, see Why Judas betrayed Jesus. Judas was sorry for what he did and tried to return the money. However, his response to his grief was hopelessness, and because of that he took his own life. When faith enters into a sorrow it produces hope, repentance, and life. The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost (Luk 19:10), see The Parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin.
See also Some stories in the gospels at the bottom of The Four Gospels.
