What Must I Do to Inherit Eternal Life
By James White
his soul, came running and kneeling to him to be instructed. “Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” was the earnest inquiry. “Thou knowest the commandments,” was the response, “Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honor thy father and thy mother.” Mark 10:17–19. There can be no question as to what our Lord means by the word “commandments” in his answer to this young man, as he refers to five of the ten precepts of the moral code. The question of the young man relates to what he must do to inherit life eternal. The Lord does not say to him that he has nothing to do, that he has only to believe and he is saved. No; instead of supporting the modern heresy that faith without works will save men, he cites the moral code, obedience to which the Master makes a condition of obtaining eternal life. With this agree our Lord’s words in Matt. 19:17: “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” We do not say by any means that obedience to the commandments of God is the only condition of eternal life; but as this is one condition, no man can gain the eternal inheritance of the saints who does not keep the commandments of God. The whole truth touching the conditions of eternal life is expressed by Paul at Miletus to the elders of the church whom he called from Ephesus, in these words:— “Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews. And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” Acts 20:18–22. Here are the conditions of eternal life; first, repentance toward God, because of disobedience of his holy law, which implies ceasing to do evil and learning to do well, or with godly sorrow turning from a life of sin to that of obedience; second, the exercise of faith in Jesus Christ, who died for our sins. And again the whole is summed up in the closing words of the third angel’s message: “Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Rev. 14:12. The Master loved this young man, because from his youth he had observed the letter of the moral code. And yet this noble youth, like many in our day who are deceiving themselves with the thought that they are all right because they have cast in their lot with a people who observe all ten of the commandments of God, when weighed in gospel balances was found wanting. “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 thy cross and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved; for he had great possessions.” Verses 21, 22. The test upon this wealthy youth was indeed a very close one. The Lord did not require of him merely a tithe of his income, which was the Lord’s, and which is so strong a temptation to the covetous professed people of the Lord in our day that some rob God of a portion or all of it; but he says to him, “Sell whatsoever thou hast,” meaning all that he had of both real and personal property. The Lord made it necessary that he should make a clean sweep of his earthly treasures that he might have treasure in heaven. If such a test should be laid upon the people of our day, when the love of money is the ruling passion of the age, Jesus would have fewer followers in the nineteenth century than he had in the first. Did the young man go away from the Master grieved? Under the same test, some who profess to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, would be tempted to go away and hang themselves. There are many who pity this young man whom Jesus loved, but we suggest that they reserve their tears for themselves and children, as Christ said to the daughters of Israel, “Weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and your children.” Did great possessions keep one man from the kingdom of God in the first century? Small possessions will keep a thousand from the kingdom in the nineteenth century. “And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God.” At this saying the disciples were astonished. “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.” Verses 23, 24. Here our Lord speaks of the doubtful condition of those who trust in their riches. As we stated in a previous article, no one ever trusted in his wealth to carry him to the immortal kingdom of God, therefore Jesus here speaks of those who trust in their riches for their safety and support during this mortal life. Our Lord here illustrates the impossibility of a rich man entering the kingdom of God with his riches by the very forcible figure of a camel passing through the eye of a needle. We are not ignorant of the sophistry by which men who live on fat salaries from rich church members get their wealthy patrons into the kingdom of God. They take the needle from the illustration, and put in its place a certain gate in old Jerusalem called the needle’s eye. But in this case they also state that the burden had to be removed from the camel’s back, and he get down upon his knees before he could pass through this gate. All of this may be true of the gate and the camel passing through it, and if the figure be worth anything, it shows that rich men must dispose of their riches in the Lord’s appointed way before they can enter the kingdom. But as this would hurt them worse than drawing their teeth, they will fail to get those who trust in their riches to the kingdom of God. But Jesus does not speak of Jerusalem or its gates in this connection. In his illustration of the impossibility of a rich man entering the kingdom he uses these words, which mean just what they say, “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.” When it can be shown that a camel is a mule, then it may be made to appear that “the eye of a needle” means one of the gates of Jerusalem. How forcible the figure! How impossible for those who trust in their riches to gain heaven! Would any of our rich friends who are very anxious to inherit the kingdom, and quite as anxious to hold on to their property, test this matter? Then let them take a sewing needle, a darning needle if they think a common sewing needle too small, and fasten the point in a board, and if they can lead a camel or a horse through it, then they are elected sure, with all their riches, for the kingdom of God. The wondering disciples were astonished above measure at their Master’s figure of the camel passing through the eye of a needle, and said among themselves, “Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” Verses 26, 27. It is possible for God to save a rich man if he complies with what God requires in his word. In God’s plan to save lost men, he has ordained that the gospel of his great salvation be published to the world by men. He has also ordained that those who have this world’s goods should give of their abundance for the support of the gospel, and to feed and clothe the worthy poor who need help. And the Lord has plainly spoken in his word on this subject. If rich men will listen and obey, and use their wealth in the cause of God, they will not only enter into the kingdom of God, but they will have a great reward to enjoy throughout the ceaseless rounds of eternal ages. Amen. J. W.