A RICH man once came to Jesus and asked, "Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" Jesus replied, "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." The man claimed that he had done so from his youth up, and the Lord proceeded to test his profession. "Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come and follow Me."
The Lord did not want the man's money, but He wanted the man to have the gift of eternal life, and his riches stood in the way. His desire to hold on to his wealth, when there were so many poor around him, was proof that he was not keeping the commandment to love his neighbor as himself. His money could not buy the gift of God, and his selfish spirit precluded the self-denial implied in the Lord's commandment. Therefore He could not receive eternal life even as a gift.
Jesus loved the man, but this would not avail as long as the deluded sinner loved his earthly treasures more than he loved the riches of God. "A rich man shall hardly enter the kingdom of heaven," because his worldly riches have no purchasing power at the throne of grace. The condition of eternal life is a faith that will lead one to obey the commandments of God at any and all cost—a "faith that works by love."
The Lord wants us to lay all we have on the altar, place it at His command, thus manifesting that measure of faith that entitles one to the gift of eternal life. If a man have wealth, with the true spirit of consecration that will commend him as a faithful steward, the Lord may see proper to leave the consecrated means in his hands, for use as His Spirit may direct. But in the case of the rich man noted in this instance that consecration was lacking, hence it would be better for the man to part entirely with the wealth that claimed first place in his affection.
He was not asked to make this sacrifice without consideration. Even from the standpoint of an investment, it ought to commend itself to any one who appreciates eternal life and believes such an attainment possible. This man professed to so believe, therefore it should have appeared to him a wise precaution to make material preparation for such a life. He certainly knew, as any one must know, that the present life is very uncertain, and short at most; so, logically, it would be even a good business proposition to part with treasure that could be enjoyed only temporarily in order to gain an estate which would insure wealth that would endure forever.
But the rich man who failed to appreciate the opportunity as presented by the Master Himself, was not the only one of his class. There have been many since his day who, while desiring an assurance of eternal life, have not been willing to invest their little stock of perishable treasure in order to secure it. Somehow they imagine, against all reason for hope, that they can give their time, their talents, and their energies to the accumulation of this world's goods and the enjoyment of them here, and gain eternal life also. But it is poor business tact to overlook or to neglect the opportunity for investment so freely offered to every one—a few rusting dollars or a tract of sin-cursed land for an eternal home and imperishable treasure; a few days of sin, sorrow, and pain for an eternity of righteousness and pleasures indescribable.
The "wisdom of men," which is "foolishness with God," causes men to act as tho they deemed the price too high, or else that the opportunity is too flattering to be true. The one great barrier to the acceptance of the prize is that it must be accepted by faith in the Word of God; and the god of this world has so blinded their eyes that they can not see by faith, and therefore they can not act by faith.
Thus the greatest enterprise in the world is passed over by those seeking opportunities for investment, and the work is sustained in the main by the self-denial of the poor but wiser ones, who heed the Saviour's good counsel: "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
G.