When God Says …
“And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.” (Luke 18:18-19 KJV).
Here, when a ruler calls the Lord Jesus "Good Master," the Lord is not denying His divinity. Rather, He directs the man to realize that God is only One who is good. Highlighting on “goodness”, the Lord sets this up to challenge this man's intent to get affirmation on his perceived merit to earn eternal life by his own work of righteousness, rather than relying on God.
The ruler’s question: what shall I DO to inherit eternal life, reveals his self-serving intent to brag. It exposes his reliance on the law. There’s a sense of air he may seek for the Lord to pander him with what he is doing as he calls Him Good Master. Knowing the content of this ruler’s heart, the Lord’s question, "Why do you call Me good?" was intended to lead the ruler to recognize that if He is good, then he knows that He is indeed God.
This interaction of our Lord with this ruler is framed as a crucial moment for the ruler to stop seeking salvation through works of self-righteousness. He and we reflecting on this now ought to listen and realize that He who this ruler is speaking with is the Source of righteousness and life. It is written the Lord Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28 ESV).
And I say, AMEN!
Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries
When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.
Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477
Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.
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