[Discoveries] 10-19-07 Which ones?

[Inspiration in Your Inbox]

/*"Which ones?" -- Matthew 19:18*/

Jesus is so perceptive. The rich young man comes along and wants to 
strike a business deal with Jesus. "How can I negotiate for a share of 
eternal life?" he asks. Jesus gives a reply that probably no evangelical 
has ever repeated to a seeker, but Jesus gives it and it fits: "If you 
want to enter life, obey the commandments."

Wait a second! we say. I thought we were saved by grace through faith, 
not by works. We think that salvation is free and easy, but Jesus alone 
among all men understands how costly salvation really is.

"Obey the commandments," Jesus says.

The young man's reply reveals what Jesus was after. "Which ones?" This 
young man was not embracing God. He was wheeling and dealing with God. 
By contrast, David delighted in God's commands because his heart was 
where God's heart was. For David, the law was a voyage of discovery 
revealing the God he worshiped and loved. For this young man, the 
commandments were part of a contract that got him what he wanted. He 
wanted a manageable set of contract requirements.

Jesus was looking for a way into this young man's heart. He wanted 
something more than the young man's name on a roster. He wanted the 
young man himself. He isn't in the business of passing out free tickets 
to heaven. Rather He is is redeeming whole human beings. God wants all 
of me and He wants all of you.

Be encouraged!
Dwight



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