POST OVERVIEW. An examination of the encounter of the rich young ruler with Jesus in Luke 18:18-30. What is eternal life and how do we obtain it?

“Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

Each of the synoptic gospels records Jesus’ encounter with the so-called “rich young ruler.” We will be exploring the account in Luke 18:18-30 in this study and asking ourselves, “What was the nature of this wealthy ruler’s search?”

The ruler’s opening question for Jesus seems promising enough. “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 18:18). This fellow is seeking eternal life and he is asking Jesus how he can obtain it. Nothing wrong with that! But upon a moment’s reflection, there could be room for concern. He calls Jesus, “Good Teacher,” not “Lord.” Does that mean this fellow sees Jesus as just an exalted rabbi or does he acknowledge that Jesus is God in human flesh and is, therefore, Lord of all? Also, he asks about “inheriting eternal life.” That is a curious expression, since it suggests that eternal life is passed down from one generation to another or maybe from one person to another.

DIFFERENT OBJECTIVES

Upon further reflection, we see that this wealthy religious ruler is seeking something very different from what Jesus is offering. The ruler seeks eternal life as the entire goal of his search, a commodity obtained in a brief transaction, but Jesus is offering Himself to anyone who will worship Him, life everlasting in unending fellowship with the living God.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY ETERNAL LIFE?

Perhaps it would be better to define what we mean when we say, “eternal life.” The ruler of Luke 18:18ff defined eternal life as living forever without the fear of death while still getting to keep all his wealth. The eternal life he wanted cost him nothing of value. He wanted to keep living as he was living but without the prospect of death. His eternal life was rich-ruler-centric. The emphasis was on duration of life, not on relationship with the living God.

But the eternal life that Jesus offers (John 3:16) begins in this physical life when a person surrenders everything to Jesus (Luke 5:11, 27-28; 9:23; Phil. 3:7-8) and follows Him in obedient worship. The one who possesses this eternal life experiences fellowship and relationship and joy with Jesus Himself and also with those who are joined to Jesus’ one body, the church. This eternal life emphasizes the quality of life. This is true life, real life, a “raised to newness of life” (Rom. 6:4) life, a “take hold of that which is life indeed” (1 Tim. 6:19) life, a “made alive together with Christ” (Eph. 2:5) life. Jesus Christ offers those who follow Him a resurrection life now in which those who believe in Him will never die (John 11:26). True eternal life is the life that believers possess now, even though we see through a mirror dimly (1 Cor. 13:12), and that we will possess in its glorified fullness for all of eternity as we stand before the throne praising the risen Lamb (Rev. 7:9-12). This eternal life is entirely Christ-centric.

WHAT MUST I DO?

The ruler had asked the Lord a direct question and the Lord gave the ruler a clear answer. The ruler asked, “What must I do?” and Jesus replied with a simple two-step plan for obtaining eternal life (18:22). If the ruler does these two actions, he will have eternal life – guaranteed. First, sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor. Second, come, follow Me. That’s all. Do these two things and the Lord of the universe has guaranteed you eternal life. Notice that these two steps were entirely within this man’s ability. The instructions were not vague or ambiguous and there were no prerequisites to these two actions. The ruler could have easily done both of these steps immediately. Yet he refused to do either one. Instead of responding to Jesus with trusting obedience, “he became very sad” (18:23). And so the ruler went away without eternal life. He got to keep his law-keeping (18:21) and his wealth and his comfortable position in respectable society, but he forfeited everlasting fellowship with the King of kings in the kingdom of God.

ALL OF US MUST MAKE THIS SAME CHOICE

The answer that Jesus gave to the rich young ruler is the same answer He gives to any who would obtain eternal life in any geography and in any age. Regardless of how our question is phrased, the answer is the same. If you would inherit eternal life, you must surrender everything and come, follow Jesus.

Of course, these steps are to be understood figuratively, but a figurative understanding of these two steps does not diminish their reality. Step one is for you to surrender everything to Jesus. Jesus demands that those who come to Him have first surrendered all. He will be King over everything in your life or He will not be your King at all. To receive all that He is you must first give away your ownership of all that you are. You come to Him figuratively naked and penniless, on bended knees, offering Him your life for service.

And step two is to follow Him wherever He leads. As a disciple of Jesus, you have surrendered your independent plans and your bucket lists and your selfish ambitions and you have, instead, consented to listen for His voice to walk on the path that He chooses. Whether He leads you along pleasant and peaceful paths or He leads you into the dark and dangerous valley, you must follow where He takes you. The eternal life you seek requires that you surrender everything to Jesus and obediently follow where He leads.

Have you done that?

Soli Deo gloria            rmb                 12/13/2023                 #682