How Do I “Get” Eternal Life?

 

²⁵ Just then a religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus. "Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?" ²⁶He answered, "What's written in God's Law? How do you interpret it?" ²⁷ He said, "That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself." ²⁸ "Good answer!" said Jesus. "Do it and you'll live." ²⁹ Looking for a loophole, he asked, "And just how would you define 'neighbor'?" ^30-32 Jesus answered by telling a story. "There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man. ^33-35 "A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man's condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill—I'll pay you on my way back.' ³⁶ "What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?" ³⁷ "The one who treated him kindly," the religion scholar responded. Jesus said, "Go and do the same." (Luke 10:25-37, The Message)

 

So often in our society and in religious groups, a person's position denotes spirituality and/or prestige in that community. In God's “society,” position and man's standards mean nothing. God looks at the heart...only. When this religion scholar asks Jesus what he must do to “get” eternal life, Jesus points the inquirer to his own heart by asking for the Law's answer...which the man obviously already knew. To love the Lord with all one's heart, mind, soul, and strength is to have a heart that wants God. This is the only criteria God seeks when He comes to a heart.

 

God's Law is never intended to be mankind's answer to the sin nature dilemma we find ourselves in before Christ rescues us from sin and death through salvation. God issued the Law to show mankind that it is absolutely impossible to fulfill such rules without supernatural assistance. Mankind on its own is doomed to spiritual failure. This is why Hebrews 11:6 states that “without faith it is impossible to please God.” Without supernatural faith imparted to an obedient heart...salvation is impossible! When God comes to a heart who wants Him...with His supernatural faith as a gift...salvation is the result. In other words, without God it is impossible to please God. Does that sound like a mystery? It is a mystery indeed...but only to those not looking for their Redeemer. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27, NKJV)

 

It's very interesting that Jesus uses three characters in His story defining a “neighbor.” Luckily for this damaged man the first person to arrive on the scene is a priest...an active member of the clergy.

Religious to the core, this man knew the Law inside and out. He knew that he was to love his neighbor as himself; he taught others this very truth. Saying something as opposed to actually doing it are two different things. How many times have we sat in a meeting hearing about the love of God and His attributes only to watch the speaker display actions totally contrary to such beliefs? The clergyman in this story sees the man; he actually physically reverses his original path to angle over to the other side of the road. He continues walking pretending that he doesn't see this poor, injured man. Perhaps he reasons that if he stops he won't make it to his appointment. God surely wouldn't want him to be irresponsible in his commitments. Surely not! Jesus' picture here is the exposure of religion. Pious, empty suits speak great swelling, spiritual words in the pulpit. Even if the words are correct...absolutely Biblical according to the church's doctrines...without God, the mouth that delivers  such “truths” is just that, a mouth! God says to that man or woman:  “I never knew you. I never thought those words, much less sent you to speak for Me. You may be Biblically correct, but without My sending you, the Spirit is not actively a part of the process. You are trying to run the show...when the 'show' is only Mine. I call this disobedience...playing God.” And like He spoke to Peter when Peter innocently argued with Him about His soon-to-come death on the cross:  “Get thee behind Me, Satan. You savor the things of the Devil.”

 

The second person to arrive is the religious Levite. He is a picture of a pious Elder. Here is a man who generously reaches into his pocket to support some great cause...as long as he doesn't have to “get involved.” He glances in the direction of this bloodied man and resolves to give a bigger offering next week to help support whoever helps this man. ~An aside:  I wonder how many times he actually follows through on his resolve. To actually get his own hands dirty is another story. Fortunately or unfortunately...as the case may be...one cannot buy one's way into heaven.

 

The third man who arrives is a Samaritan. Samaritans are the Jewish people left behind when most of the Jews were carried into captivity centuries before who intermarried with the non-Jewish residents. Therefore, the Samaritans are outcasts from the full-blooded Jews. It is this outcast Samaritan who has compassion on this victim lying in his own blood by the side of the road. He takes this poor man, washes his wounds, pours in the wine and the oil to sterilize and sooth this poor creature's pain. He doesn't stop there; this pariah Samaritan loads him on to his donkey and takes him to the nearest inn where he secures a bed and food for this man's recovery. He tells the inn keeper to keep track of the expenses so he can reimburse the innkeeper upon his return.

 

What is the picture Jesus is painting here with His words? He is showing to his listeners and to all generations who hear this parable that a church created by mankind will fail you. Only God's personally recreated sons make up the real Church of Jesus Christ. A supernaturally created church has a foundation that is established by God Himself; it never fails. God cannot deny Himself. Leadership appointed by the majority vote of some ecclesiastical committee is empty and devoid of the great Masterbuilder—Jesus' presence. When the going gets tough, these leaders don't get going...they fall back on their “good works” and religious piety overlooking the real needs of the congregation. When Jesus arrives...just like the good Samaritan...He, too, Who was rejected of men, meets the spiritual needs of the fallen soul. He pours in the wine, which speaks of salvation; and He anoints our lives with the fresh oil of His Spirit. Our hearts, broken-off in fellowship from God, are healed; and we arise in newness of Life by His Spirit. He places us in the hands of His Father, and pays the total price owing on our debt. Just like the wounded and robbed traveler, we are unable to pay our debts; Jesus pays them all for us...no questions asked or demands made.

 

What the Law couldn't do, Jesus did. His intervention on mankind's behalf is our only Hope. When Jesus returns to a heart to claim His son or daughter for the Kingdom...we don't know the day or the hour...Hope (total freedom from the sin nature) is restored. That heart is no longer left to its own devices. God moves in, and the man or woman is totally restored to sonship with the King of kings and the Lord of lords. We are no longer outcasts and strangers in the Kingdom. God has rescued us through His Son, Jesus. The Holy Spirit has entered our hearts, and eternal Life replaces eternal death.

 

The religion scholar asks a question to test Jesus. Jesus responds with a story. At the conclusion of the story Jesus asks the question to test the religion scholar:  “Which of the three...is the neighbor?” The scholar answers correctly that the man with the kind heart...the one who treated him kindly...is the true neighbor. Jesus responds with:  “Go and do the same.” Does Jesus mean that good works will “get” you salvation? Or is He revealing the heart of the questioner?...or both? Keep in mind, reader, that genuine kindness comes from the heart...not from external motivation. Perhaps this man has a good heart and Jesus is revealing to him that the Law...good works...isn't the Way to perfection; perfection comes only by supernatural faith. In order for him to “do the same,” this scholar must have a kind heart. Only God knows his heart; we are not privy to that knowledge unless God reveals it. Jesus, like us, simply delivers the message. God takes care of the heart issues...in His time.