GOODNESS?
Luke:18:18-23 records Jesus' conversation with the "rich young ruler".
A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'"
"All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said.
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.
Why did Jesus begin his response with, "Why do you call me good?" "No one is good—except God alone.”? Is this a case of Jesus denying deity as some (Jehovah’s Witnesses e.g.) would contend? Did Jesus repudiate any claim to be God by this comment?
That is not what Jesus meant. Christ did not deny that he was “good.” He merely asked a probing question. In effect Jesus replied rhetorically: “Since only God is good, and you seem to recognize me as good, are you willing to concede that I am divine?” In other words, “If you are asking me how to get eternal life, are you willing to concede that I am qualified to answer your question?” Jesus was not denying his divine nature – he was affirming it.
Remember that last night we talked about how a “good person” is someone who is trustworthy, safe, considerate and seeks the ultimate good of others. God alone is perfectly and fully good. He is concerned not just with people’s short-term happiness, but with their long-term joy. We see this played out in verses 21-23. Remember, the guy’s initial inquiry was about how to inherit eternal life. It’s a strange question because you usually inherit wealth from wealthy relations – an inheritance is not typically something you work for so much as it is a result of being in the family. But Jesus reminds him of a select few of the ten commandments. He seems to lob the guy an easy pitch to hit by mentioning commandments in which Jesus probably knew the guy was fairly faithful. But I think it’s curious that he didn’t mention others that may have proved tougher for this rich young ruler to follow (“Have no other gods before me” and “do not covet”). Jesus then told him to do something that surfaced his violation of those neglected commands. His wealth had become an idol of security that held him back from fully trusting God and following Jesus. Had the rich ruler really trusted in the essential goodness of Jesus – that he really could guarantee “treasure in heaven” - then perhaps he would have jumped at the opportunity to give up temporary security for eternal glory. As martyr Jim Elliot once said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” There is a danger here of focusing on what one must give up, when the core issue is who we are going to follow. Are we seeking a self-help program to make our present life easier, or are we wise enough to believe Jesus when he tells us that there are far greater riches to be had for those who give up good things for the sake of the gospel (Mark 10:29-31).
It is important for us to recognize that doing good to people means that we are truthful with them about their situation. If Jesus had given this guy false hope that he had “done enough” to deserve eternal life, he would have lied to him and done him a huge disservice. Only by hearing the truth did the rich ruler have the opportunity to repent and follow Jesus – who alone has the words of eternal life (John 6:68-69, John 14:6). It reminds us that eternal life (heaven) is ultimately not a matter of place, but of person. Life with God is heaven (Col 3:1-4). To be separated from a relationship with Him is, quite literally, Hell – eternal loss, loneliness, being quarantined from of all that is good – cut off from love, provision, comfort, etc... As we seek goodness, it will sometimes require that we stand for things that are unpopular and uncomfortable to hear. Though we need to be committed to serving and caring people for people whether they believe the gospel or not, it is neither loving or good to provide people with a false sense of security by not helping them understand their spiritual condition and consider Christ. We are to “speak the truth in love” (Eph 4:15) and like, Jesus seek to be “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
by Steve Baker
Philadelphia Metro Director - Campus Crusade for Christ
610-316-5626
A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'"
"All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said.
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.
Why did Jesus begin his response with, "Why do you call me good?" "No one is good—except God alone.”? Is this a case of Jesus denying deity as some (Jehovah’s Witnesses e.g.) would contend? Did Jesus repudiate any claim to be God by this comment?
That is not what Jesus meant. Christ did not deny that he was “good.” He merely asked a probing question. In effect Jesus replied rhetorically: “Since only God is good, and you seem to recognize me as good, are you willing to concede that I am divine?” In other words, “If you are asking me how to get eternal life, are you willing to concede that I am qualified to answer your question?” Jesus was not denying his divine nature – he was affirming it.
Remember that last night we talked about how a “good person” is someone who is trustworthy, safe, considerate and seeks the ultimate good of others. God alone is perfectly and fully good. He is concerned not just with people’s short-term happiness, but with their long-term joy. We see this played out in verses 21-23. Remember, the guy’s initial inquiry was about how to inherit eternal life. It’s a strange question because you usually inherit wealth from wealthy relations – an inheritance is not typically something you work for so much as it is a result of being in the family. But Jesus reminds him of a select few of the ten commandments. He seems to lob the guy an easy pitch to hit by mentioning commandments in which Jesus probably knew the guy was fairly faithful. But I think it’s curious that he didn’t mention others that may have proved tougher for this rich young ruler to follow (“Have no other gods before me” and “do not covet”). Jesus then told him to do something that surfaced his violation of those neglected commands. His wealth had become an idol of security that held him back from fully trusting God and following Jesus. Had the rich ruler really trusted in the essential goodness of Jesus – that he really could guarantee “treasure in heaven” - then perhaps he would have jumped at the opportunity to give up temporary security for eternal glory. As martyr Jim Elliot once said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” There is a danger here of focusing on what one must give up, when the core issue is who we are going to follow. Are we seeking a self-help program to make our present life easier, or are we wise enough to believe Jesus when he tells us that there are far greater riches to be had for those who give up good things for the sake of the gospel (Mark 10:29-31).
It is important for us to recognize that doing good to people means that we are truthful with them about their situation. If Jesus had given this guy false hope that he had “done enough” to deserve eternal life, he would have lied to him and done him a huge disservice. Only by hearing the truth did the rich ruler have the opportunity to repent and follow Jesus – who alone has the words of eternal life (John 6:68-69, John 14:6). It reminds us that eternal life (heaven) is ultimately not a matter of place, but of person. Life with God is heaven (Col 3:1-4). To be separated from a relationship with Him is, quite literally, Hell – eternal loss, loneliness, being quarantined from of all that is good – cut off from love, provision, comfort, etc... As we seek goodness, it will sometimes require that we stand for things that are unpopular and uncomfortable to hear. Though we need to be committed to serving and caring people for people whether they believe the gospel or not, it is neither loving or good to provide people with a false sense of security by not helping them understand their spiritual condition and consider Christ. We are to “speak the truth in love” (Eph 4:15) and like, Jesus seek to be “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
by Steve Baker
Philadelphia Metro Director - Campus Crusade for Christ
610-316-5626
posted by leb at 12:45 PM
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