Value

This topic keeps coming up over and over again lately. The question is one of what we value. Is the gospel a call to give up that which we value in order to gain Christ? It seems that many think so. Many preach so. Does it not make sense that we must give up our idols to embrace the true God?

I think the answer is tricky. Often times, what seems so obvious to us in scripture may not be quite as simple if we look beneath. Take for example the rich young ruler of Luke 18:

And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Luke 18:18-22 ESV

First of all, we must consider the question; “What must I DO to inherit eternal life?” Immediately Jesus knows that this is a man who seeks to earn salvation. He has yet to recognize that salvation is by faith alone. Jesus lists some of the commandments to him, which he states he has kept, so Jesus tells him what he lacks if he is to earn his salvation: he must sell all of his great possessions and give his money to the poor. Not surprisingly, the young man cannot find it in himself to do this and walks away ‘very sad’.

On the face of it, it seems that Jesus is making a demand that must be met before the young man can be saved. But we must remember that the young man asked specifically what he must DO to be saved. Jesus asks of him the very thing that his nature cannot bare – to part with his wealth. I think Jesus knew beforehand what the outcome of the conversation would be, and as such I don’t believe he ever had an expectation that the young man could or would comply with his demand. Could Jesus have possibly meant by this that there is a way to be saved apart from faith? No. So the conversation is not what it appears.

The gospel is never a demand to give something up to gain eternal life. If it were, it would be law – something we must do to earn eternal life. The gospel is the good news that there is something of exceedingly great value in Christ that surpasses everything this world can offer. It is a message that unfailing hope, security and approval exist and can be ours – the very things that we all seek to attain by our flashy idols. It is not in competition with our idols because it is in a different league altogether. It actually delivers what it promises, unlike the things of this world.

How many walk away ‘very sad’ week after week from our church services because we present the gospel as a demand rather than as good news? If we preached the gospel as good news – as the promise of abundant life and eternal security – rather than as an alternative to idols, what would be the impact? We wonder why so many Christians (in America) are lukewarm in their faith as we continue to beg them to exchange their idols for Christ as if he were for sale to the highest bidder. We need to preach the good news until people can say, like Paul,

“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ…” Philippians 3:8-9 ESV

It’s got to be pretty good news that makes people desire to ‘suffer the loss of all things’. It has to be the gospel truth.

God Bless