What Must I Do to Inherit Eternal Life?

Mark 10:17 (NET) Now as Jesus was starting out on his way, someone ran up to him, fell on his knees, and said, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” 20 The man said to him, “Teacher, I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws since my youth.” 21 As Jesus looked at him, he felt love for him and said, “You lack one thing. Go, sell whatever you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 But at this statement, the man looked sad and went away sorrowful, for he was very rich.

The Heart of the Matter

A casual reading of these verses may lead you to believe the path to heaven is paved by doing the works of the law. Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. And the list goes on. The man assured Jesus he had done all those things. Yet, he knew something was lacking. He knew he fell short.

Jesus gave one more command, “Go, sell whatever you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.”  The problem was not that he failed to keep the law. He had done so, faithfully. The problem was his heart. He loved his wealth more than he loved God.

Idolatry is the Big Sin

Anything you love more than God will become your idol. Paul says in Col. 3:5, “So put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion, evil desire, and greed which is idolatry.” He clearly identifies greed as idolatry. That was the rich man’s hindrance. The first of the ten commandments is, “You shall have no other gods before me.” If money is what you love most, it is your god. You have an idol.

Throughout the Old Testament, the one thing that angered God the most was his people following other gods. That was the main thing that brought on his judgement.

David committed adultery, then tried to cover it up with murder. Yet, God said of him, “He is a man after my own heart.” He suffered consequences for his sins, but God did not reject him.

The only reason God rejected people was for idolatry.

That is why the rich man’s sin was such a problem. His riches were his god, his idol.

The Problem is not Riches, it’s the Heart

I know many rich men and women who hold loosely to their wealth. God has blessed them, but they have never allowed their riches to come between them and their true God. For them, riches are not a problem. God, not their riches, has their heart.

To Inherit Eternal Life?

Love God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind. That is how you inherit eternal life. Following the law is the result of loving God first.