October 21st~No One Good But God

Luke 18:9-14

Mark 10:1-12

Matthew 19:1-12

Mark 10:13-16

Matthew 19:13-15

Luke 18:15-17

Mark 10:17-31

Matthew 19:16-30

Luke 18:18-30

Although we read about various conversations that Jesus had, they are all tied together with a theme — salvation is not gotten but given. This theme is most recognizable in the question posed to Jesus by the rich man, “Good Teacher, what should I do to get eternal life?” (Mark 10:17; Luke 18:18). Matthew records the man asking this question another way, “What good things must I do to have eternal life?” (19:16).

Jesus’ response is instructive for us in regards to our own salvation but also in how we share the gospel with others. Notice what He does. First, He said, “Why do you call Me good? Only God is good.” Jesus is not denying His deity with this statement, but rather He is bringing to the man’s attention the fact that other than God, no one on earth is good. All men are sinful; they have fallen short of God’s glory and goodness (Romans 3:23).

Jesus, then, proceeded to demonstrate this truth by rolling out the Ten Commandments, by comparing the man’s life to the moral standards of God. The arrogant man told Jesus that He had kept all of the commandments. In other words, he told Jesus that he was a good person. In his pride, he did not recognize his sin. When Jesus told him to sell all of his possessions, give them to the poor, and follow Him, his countenance fell and he walked away. He realized that he had broken the first two commandments. He had replaced God with money, and he had arranged his life in such a way as to worship that god.

Note that by breaking the first two commandments, the man had lied about keeping all of the commandments, another strike against him. “For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws” (James 2:10). The bottom line is that, in his fallen state, not one person can justify himself before God. Therefore, salvation is out of our reach.

This same theme now can be applied to the other conversations Jesus had. For example, the Pharisee prayed, “Thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else” (Luke 18:12), but the tax collector prayed, “O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner” (v.13). He recognized and repented of his sin and, therefore, Jesus said that he was justified before God.

In regards to divorce, Jesus pointed out that sinful men cannot keep God’s standards for marriage, to remain faithful to one person for life (Mark 10:1-12). When Jesus spoke about children, He said, in essence, that salvation is not given to the perfect or the proud, but rather it is given to those with faith. “Anyone who does not have their kind of faith will never get into the Kingdom of God” (Luke 18:17). Even that saving faith is not natural to us; it is given to us supernaturally by God (Ephesians 2:8, 9).

Daily Reflection

What exactly do the Commandments do, then, in regards to the process of salvation? Why are they necessary for conversion to be genuine?

Before God’s standard of holiness, we are all condemned, even you. We cannot take pride in any actions or achievements, so far as to justify ourselves in His sight. We can place no hope in ourselves as having any righteousness of our own to boast. But, here’s the good news, “What is impossible from a human perspective is possible with God” (Luke 18:27).

BiAY.org | Day 294 — 71 Days to Go