Lord’s Day, Vol. 12. No. 35
What Shall I Do to Inherit Eternal Life?
Why does the Bible speak about eternal life? And how is it important to us? God make man with a physical body. This is the visible part of man. But there is the invisible part of man, the being inside us, called the soul.
The Bible tells us that when God made man, he not only had a body but also a soul. The body is temporal in that all must die but the soul does not die when the body dies. The soul of man is immortal.
When a man dies, there is a separation of the body and the soul. The soul leaves the body. Where does the soul go to?
The Bible tells us that there are two eternal destinies for the human soul after a man dies. Either eternal life or eternal death!
What is eternal life? It is spiritual life. Life with God. The man who has eternal life or spiritual life is in fellowship with God who is the man’s Creator, Sustainer and Saviour.
What is eternal death? This is what the Bible describes as the second death. It is the eternal judgment of God for the human soul in the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:14 (KJV) And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
When a man dies and he does not have eternal life, his soul will be in hell, a place of God’s judgment for a man whose sins are not forgiven.
The Bible tells us in Romans 6:23 (KJV) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Death is the judgment of God upon man for the sins that he has committed. This includes not just physical death but eternal death.
What is the remedy for man against the prospect of death? It is to receive the gift of God which is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
How can a man receive eternal life? He has to be born again. To be born again is to have spiritual life. This is life with God.
Christianity is a relationship. The relationship between man and God. Sin is a broken relationship.
Jesus Christ is God’s remedy to mend the broken relationship between man and God as a result of man’s sin.
The defilement of man’s sin alienated him from God who is holy. God is pure and without sin. For man to come to God, Jesus Christ has to solve man’s sin problem.
How did Jesus solve man’s sin problem? Firstly, Jesus Christ did so by obeying all the commandments of God perfectly, while He was on earth, on man’s behalf. Secondly, Jesus Christ purged man’s sin when He was crucified on the cross unto death, shedding His blood to wash away our sins. By His death on our behalf, man’s sin was dealt with. Jesus rose from the dead three days later, triumphant over sin and death.
Every man who acknowledges that he has sinned against God and is willing to repent of his sins and receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour will receive eternal life.
Romans 10:9-10 (KJV) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
The man who came to Jesus asked the pertinent question in Mark 10:17 (KJV) And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
He was sincerely seeking the way to eternal life. Jesus pointed him to man’s unresolved sin problem when he said that there is none good, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). This was how Jesus phrased it in Mark 10:18 (KJV) And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
How can a sinful man be called good? Only if he can obey all the commandments of God like Jesus did, because Jesus is God.
Jesus pointed out to the man the commandments of God that he has to keep perfectly to be really called good in Mark 10:19 (KJV) Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
The man defended himself by stating that he has obeyed all the commandments of God from his youth – Mark 10:20 (KJV) And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
Our Lord’s response to him was “really?” Did you truly keep all the commandments of God? This man thought that by keeping the commandments of God, he would have eternal life. He was mistaken. He realizes that there is something not right in his life that he cannot identify. So he came to seek Jesus for an answer.
Eternal life comes not by keeping the commandments of God because sinful man can’t keep the commandments of God perfectly.
Eternal life comes when a man is willing to forsake his sins and repent of them. He will find forgiveness for his sins in Jesus Christ who lived a perfect life on his behalf, and by His death on the cross to bear his sins. In other words, salvation comes by the grace of God, it is God’s gift, His unmerited favour, a man cannot attain eternal life by endeavouring to keep the commandments of God. It is impossible for him to do so.
Rather, it is only after he is saved when his sins have been dealt with by Christ that God enables him by the Spirit of God in him to overcome sin and obey the commandments of God.
Mark 10:21 (KJV) Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
Jesus loves the man. He wanted to truly save the man. He pointed out to him why he could not keep the commandments by asking him to sell all that he had and come take up the cross and follow Him.
The man’s possessions were his idol or his god. He loved his possessions more than he loved God. He broke the first commandment – Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.
And he will not repent of this sin of loving his possessions more than he loved God – Mark 10:22 (KJV) And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
Jesus was able to read his heart, know his problem and point it out to him so that he may repent and be saved.
But the man will not. Why is it so drastic? Must every man who comes to God sell all that he has to be saved? Jesus is seeking for the man to realize his sinful estate and repent, turning to Him and be saved.
He went away sorrowful and grieved because he was not willing to put God first in His life. He was not willing to acknowledge that his possessions come from God, and belong to God. He did not surrender himself to Jesus but was encumbered with his possessions. This was his Achilles heel.
Mark 10:23 (KJV) And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
Jesus explained further in Mark 10:24 (KJV) And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
The degree of difficulty was further emphasised as an impossible task in Mark 10:25 (KJV) 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.
The Apostle Paul explained this well the problem of this man in 1 Timothy 6:9-10 (KJV) But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Moses in the Old Testament explained well that a man can idolize himself and think that it is by his power and might that he is rich, the sad testimony of many a self-made man, isn’t it? Rather, let a man trace all his wealth to the blessing of God. It is God who gives him his wealth!
Deuteronomy 8:17-18 (KJV) And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
Rather, the Apostle Paul admonished that once a man repent of his idolatry of loving money, he can be saved and therefore bears spiritual fruit – 1 Timothy 6:11-12 (KJV) But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
Mark 10:26 (KJV) And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?
It seemed impossible that salvation could come to a man. Jesus replied most comfortingly in Mark 10:27 (KJV) And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
Salvation is of God. He can enable a man to forsake his sin acknowledge Christ and be saved.
There was such a rich man who repented of his sins and came to Christ in the New Testament. This man was the tax-collector Zacchaeus recorded in Luke 19:1-10.
This was the testimony of Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-6 (KJV) And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
Zacchaeus was a known bad person who extorted money, that was how he became rich. He was willing to make restitution after he was saved. It showed forth the fruit of repentance by his action.
Luke 19:7-10 (KJV) And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Zacchaeus humbled himself before Jesus and repented of his sin. He was gloriously saved!
Indeed, with God all things are possible! Therefore, let His people go forth to preach the gospel trusting the Lord to save whom He will. Amen.
Yours lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee