A certain ruler asked [Jesus], “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. (Luke 18:18–23, NIV 1984).
My Musings – We all “lack [at least] one thing” that prevents us from being good. But even if we didn’t, that would not make us good in God’s eyes. In “Defending Your Faith,” R.C. Sproul relates how the definition of words change proportionately in the beings to which they relate. For example, when we talk about a good dog, we know that means it comes when it calls, does tricks and is house broken.
When we talk about a good man, however, we do not mean that he comes when called, does tricks and is house broken. It means something entirely different. What it does mean is that the man is good compared to others according to the mores of the culture. Which by the way change over time. Plus, there is always bad men who still might be viewed as relatively good when compared to men who are worse. Where do we draw the line? The sad reality is that “all have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.” (Psalm 14:3, NIV 1984).
Jesus tells us that “no one is good—except God alone.” And the “proportionate” change in the definition when comparing man’s goodness to God’s is incalculable. But that is the standard of goodness that is necessary “to inherit eternal life.” That is where God draws the line. “‘Who then can be saved?'” Jesus [replies], “‘What is impossible with men is possible with God.'” (Luke 18:26–27, NIV 1984). And that is why God provided the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ on the cross. To make possible for us, what was otherwise impossible.
My Advice – Even the most righteous among us “still lack one thing,” if we do not have Christ as our Savior. The good news is, we don’t have to be sad like that “certain ruler.“
The Brew Is A Musing 