Do Good

A man came to Jesus and said what good shall I do to have eternal life?  This is found in Matthew 19:16, “And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?”  Then Jesus replied why do you ask me about being good, there is one who is good: but, if you want to enter life keep the commandments.  Jesus went on and explained to the rich young ruler what he would have to do, to which the young man replied I have kept them, what do I still lack?  Jesus said to him if you wish to be perfect go sell what you have and give to the poor and you will have treasures in heaven. Then come follow me. When the young man heard about this, he went away grieving, for he had much property.

I am not saying that you have to do what the Lord asked the rich young ruler to do, or that the Lord is even asking you to do this, but what if the Lord did ask you to sell everything you had and give it to the poor and you will have treasures in heaven, then come follow me, would you do it?  I think many rich people would struggle with the answer.  I think it would be much easier for a poor person to accept that invitation because they may surmise that they didn’t have to give up much in the first place.

Then Jesus said this in that same chapter about rich man, please read Matthew 19:23-24, “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” 

I have to agree, it would be very difficult for a rich man to go to heaven, because for many, just like this rich young ruler, their money has a hold on them and they have a grip on their money and not even a relationship with the Holy One of God could convince them to let go of it.  The sad thing about this is when you have a true relationship with the Lord and have been adopted into His family you are rich because having the Lord as your Lord and Savior is like finding true riches, plus no one can break in and take Him from you.

This came to mind as I was typing this please read Mark 8:35-37, “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Now please read Matthew 6:19-24, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

I think I should emphasize that this took place before Jesus was crucified, at the time John the immerser was immersing for repentance, so good works would have been encouraged.  But, after Jesus went through His fiery Baptism of Crucifixion death, burial and resurrection in order for anyone to get to heaven, they would have to go through Him, and your good works, or what you may think is your righteousness, will never get you in right standing with God!!  It is trusting in the finished work of Christ, laying down His life to become the sacrificial Lamb of God, and faith in Him and true repentance, which means turning away from your sins and turning towards God, confessing and rejecting your sins. 

Please read Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

So, it is not by our good works, but by Jesus’ finished work on the cross that we can stand before God justified, praise the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son!!  When we are born-again, we are covered by His righteousness and not our own, this is what God’s Word says about our righteousness, please read Isaiah 64:6 “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

I think I have said enough; may you all have a super day and may the good Lord bless you and yours!!  If you haven’t yet, please thank and praise the Lord, for He is worthy!!