Young rich ruler not saved, why ?

[PeterAndroz]

Luke 18:-
18And 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, Honour 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.
..
How was the young rich ruler trying to inherit eternal life ?
By what he did, his efforts, keeping the commandments, works, performance.
So why wasn't he saved ?

 

[Judge Hardcastle]

Luke 18:-
18And 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, Honour 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.
..
How was the young rich ruler trying to inherit eternal life ?
By what he did, his efforts, keeping the commandments, works, performance.
So why wasn't he saved ?

Like other teachings of Jesus' this is a multi-layered teaching. Starting with the most obvious, the rich young ruler was not keeping all of of God's commands. There are people even today who think the Ten Commandments is sufficient guidance for the believer and the only standard by which to live righteously, and that if you do that you are pleasing to God. This simply isn't true. He failed at one point in the law and so was a breaker of the law not a keeper of the law.

James 2:10
10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

 

[Judge Hardcastle]

How was the young rich ruler trying to inherit eternal life ?
By what he did, his efforts, keeping the commandments, works, performance.
So why wasn't he saved ?

It was understood that only the righteous could inherit the kingdom. And it was understood that the measure of that righteousness was the law. What was not understood was the difficulty of being righteous under the law, because of the limitations of the law to forgive. Once you ventured in sin outside of the boundaries of the law to forgive (blasphemy, murder, etc.) there was no hope of ever being forgiven and restored to legalistic righteousness. You were doomed. Of course we know today that the condemnation of the law that had no remedy under the law was intended to drive people to the forgiveness of God available outside of the bounds of the law. We know from the story of David that forgiveness was in fact available during the time of the law. David was credited a righteousness that did not come from the law.

Romans 4:6-8
6David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

7“Blessed are those
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
8Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord will never count against them.” b

This grace was fully revealed and made openly available to the world in the appearing of Jesus Christ and the declaration of the gospel.

Acts 13:38-39
38“Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.

 

[ScottA]

Luke 18:-
18And 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, Honour 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.
..
How was the young rich ruler trying to inherit eternal life ?
By what he did, his efforts, keeping the commandments, works, performance.
So why wasn't he saved ?

Matthew 16:25
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

 

[Brakelite]

Luke 18:-
18And 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, Honour 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.
..
How was the young rich ruler trying to inherit eternal life ?
By what he did, his efforts, keeping the commandments, works, performance.
So why wasn't he saved ?

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. ”
Matthew 6:24 KJV

Unfeigned Bible

Unfeigned Bible

www.unfeignedbible.app

 

[Judge Hardcastle]

How was the young rich ruler trying to inherit eternal life ?
By what he did, his efforts, keeping the commandments, works, performance.
So why wasn't he saved ?

Short answer: He didn't keep all of God's commandments.

 

[Episkopos]

Luke 18:-
18And 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, Honour 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.
..
How was the young rich ruler trying to inherit eternal life ?
By what he did, his efforts, keeping the commandments, works, performance.
So why wasn't he saved ?

Why do you say he wasn't saved? You are using a carnal reasoning that fully negates the text.

The young man ask Jesus what must I do to INHERIT life. Jesus says obey the commandments.

To be PERFECT.....Jesus says that he needs to sell all and follow Him.



So then you should ask...why wasn't the young man made perfect?

 

[Judge Hardcastle]

Why do you say he wasn't saved? You are using a carnal reasoning that fully negates the text.

The young man ask Jesus what must I do to INHERIT life. Jesus says obey the commandments.

To be PERFECT.....Jesus says that he needs to sell all and follow Him.



So then you should ask...why wasn't the young man made perfect?

The dialogue between Jesus and the disciples in the account shows us that getting eternal life means entering the kingdom of heaven and being saved.

Matthew 19:23-25
23Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

 

[Episkopos]

The dialogue between Jesus and the disciples in the account shows us that getting eternal life means entering the kingdom of heaven and being saved.

Matthew 19:23-25
23Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

This is a deviation. You are fully ignoring Jesus's teaching and replacing that with the incredulity of the as yet non-spiritual disciples.

Are you converted yet?

Are you saved from the power of sin?

Are you perfect as Jesus said the young man would be if he sold all and followed Him?

Have you sold all?

If you haven't then how can you be saved?

 

[CrowCross]

Luke 18:-
18And 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, Honour 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.
..
How was the young rich ruler trying to inherit eternal life ?
By what he did, his efforts, keeping the commandments, works, performance.
So why wasn't he saved ?

In a nut shell...
Jesus said if you want to inherit eternal life then follow the law....the man thought He did but Jesus pointed out where He didn't....ooops, too late for the man.
But Jesus then told Him...follow Him. Which the man didn't do.

 

[Episkopos]

In a nut shell...
Jesus said if you want to inherit eternal life then follow the law....the man thought He did but Jesus pointed out where He didn't....ooops, too late for the man.
But Jesus then told Him...follow Him. Which the man didn't do.

And which modern believer has sold all and now follows Christ into His perfection?

Basically no one.

 

[Judge Hardcastle]

Are you converted yet?

Yes, I am converted.

Are you saved from the power of sin?

Yes, I am saved from the power of sin. And I'm learning to use the power I have over sin in the Holy Spirit more and more as I grow up in Christ.

Are you perfect as Jesus said the young man would be if he sold all and followed Him?

Yes, I am perfect as Jesus said the young man would be if he sold all and followed Him. My perfection is in the fact that God does not hold my sins against me because it is forever forgiven by the sacrifice of Jesus I believe and trust in, apart from the merit of my law keeping.

Have you sold all?

No, that would be dumb to sell the things I myself need to survive. Obviously, Christ is being hyperbolic. As Paul explains...

2 Corinthians 8:12-13
12the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.
13It is not our intention that others may be relieved while you are burdened, but that there may be equality.

If you haven't then how can you be saved?

I can be saved despite not 'selling all I have' because...

1. I don't need to sell all I own. Jesus is speaking hyperbolically.
2. Becoming a saved person is separate and apart from keeping God's commandments. In this case, separate from the command to be generous and open handed toward the needy.

Deuteronomy 15:7-8
7If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. 8Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need.

The rich young fellow was not keeping this commandment. So there was no way he could have the righteousness required to enter into the kingdom of God and be saved. He was deceitfully relying on the Ten Commandments as if that was the only law that he had to follow to enter into the kingdom of God.

Deuteronomy 6:25
25And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.”

His law keeping can't be his righteousness if he's not keeping all that the Lord God has commanded that one must do in order to be righteous.

 

[Judge Hardcastle]

And which modern believer has sold all and now follows Christ into His perfection?

Basically no one.

Thankfully, that's not what Jesus meant. He was speaking hyperbolically. The point was he was not keeping Deuteronomy 15:7-8. You can't be declared righteous by a law that you don't fully keep.

James 2:10
10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

 

[ScottA]

This is a deviation. You are fully ignoring Jesus's teaching and replacing that with the incredulity of the as yet non-spiritual disciples.

Are you converted yet?

Are you saved from the power of sin?

Are you perfect as Jesus said the young man would be if he sold all and followed Him?

Have you sold all?

If you haven't then how can you be saved?

No, it is not a "deviation", but you rather are reverting back to the Law and Commandments as savior--which saves not. Only One has kept the Law and Commandments, and it is only "in Him" that anyone can be saved.

Contrary to what you have presented, the context is Jesus as "Master" as the ruler addressed Him, and "follow Me" was a call to only serve one "Master." Which Jesus elaborated regarding worldly needs elsewhere, saying "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." In other words, there was nothing magical or heavenly about selling everything, nor was there a need to do without those things to be "perfect"--the ruler simply didn't have his priorities straight. Nor do you, if you put your own keeping of the Law and Commandments before seeking God "in Christ" alone.

"Many are called, but few chosen."

 

[Episkopos]

No, it is not a "deviation", but you rather are reverting back to the Law and Commandments as savior--which saves not. Only One has kept the Law and Commandments, and it is only "in Him" that anyone can be saved.

I think you are trying to be saved by grace from the law and its responsibilities instead of the grace of the gospel that saves from sin.

You have the wrong understanding of salvation, as do most people.

In Him is no sin. So we overcome as Jesus did as we abide IN Him.

It's like overcoming gravity by flying in a plane. Of ourselves we can't beat gravity...but simply by entering INTO a plane, we can fly.

 

[ScottA]

I think you are trying to be saved by grace from the law and its responsibilities instead of the grace of the gospel that saves from sin.

You have the wrong understanding of salvation, as do most people.

In Him is no sin. So we overcome as Jesus did as we abide IN Him.

It's like overcoming gravity by flying in a plane. Of ourselves we can't beat gravity...but simply by entering INTO a plane, we can fly.

I am not "trying" anything.

But your analogy shows you wrong, as if you mean to captain the plane yourself, as if everyone in the plane needs to take the wheel. But no--being in the plane ('in Christ") is deliverance to the same destination--eternal life, which is the kingdom of God.

 

[Lizbeth]

Luke 18:-
18And 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, Honour 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.
..
How was the young rich ruler trying to inherit eternal life ?
By what he did, his efforts, keeping the commandments, works, performance.
So why wasn't he saved ?

Rich. Young. Ruler. Allegorically as a lesson for us, I read it that he was "rich" in self and his life in the world because he counted everything he was and possessed as his own.....he was "young", as in not yet spiritually mature/perfect.....ruler because he was still mostly on the throne of his life and heart, having not given that complete rulership over to the Lord yet. But he had faith to seek Jesus out and seek the truth. Selling all you have to come follow Jesus...I take to be allegorical for laying all that you have and are on the altar....giving up your right to your own life in this world to do God's will alone and become a living sacrifice. I am not as pessimistic as some are concerning his fate necessarily....I believe what Jesus said to him would have started something in motion in his life and it was now for him to count the cost before making the big decision so to speak, as well as the Lord working in his life like He does in ours to bring us to where He wants us.

 

[Episkopos]

I am not "trying" anything.

But your analogy shows you wrong, as if you mean to captain the plane yourself, as if everyone in the plane needs to take the wheel. But no--being in the plane ('in Christ") is deliverance to the same destination--eternal life, which is the kingdom of God.

The plane IS Christ...as I stated. Don't deviate my words too.

 

[ScottA]

The plane IS Christ...as I stated. Don't deviate my words too.

I did not "deviate", but gave an image of what that would look like if the analogy were played out.

And your analogy is fine...even if one takes the wheel if appointed, as Paul said, "for me, to live is Christ." The problem then, is the belief that WE must give the plane wings, as if that were the correct thing to do just because Jesus did. Which makes no one "perfect" by their own doing things just so, as you seem to claim.

In other words, claiming that there is a "salvation" group, and there is "perfect" group (paraphrasing), is simply not accurate or biblical. That sort of thinking contradicts all that is written of the value of each part of the body of Christ being equally valued by God, as if parts of His image in us are lacking. But no, even every little hair of the image is "perfect" having many different members, as is, without hierarchy. All made perfect by and through the Head, which is Christ.

So no, there is no hierarchy or different levels--some perfect, some not--of those who make up the body of Christ as you describe it. But it is as Jesus said, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." Period.