Jesus Speaking to a Troubled Young Man and the Crowdby CBPepper
18:27Luke 18:27
And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
What is impossible for human beings to accomplish, and impossible for them to accomplish by their own power, is possible with God. In the account of the rich ruler and the disciples, this corrects the idea that God's favor and the reward of eternal life can be earned by human works. Salvation cannot be secured by human effort or by attachment to earthly wealth, but is possible by God's power, in keeping with His free grace. Even a rich person can enter God's kingdom through God's grace, as Zacchaeus demonstrated, for wealth itself gives no claim to heaven. No one can overcome the heart's attachment to wealth or enter God's kingdom by human effort, but God makes this possible through Christ's unmerited grace. When Christ's love transforms the heart, rich and poor alike treat possessions as God's trust, use them to help others, and serve rather than live for wealth.
Understanding the cost of Christ's sacrifice leads people to surrender themselves and all they possess to Him, to make doing His Word their highest aim, and to accept His purpose of saving them for eternal life. The conversion and entrance into the kingdom of rich men whose lives have been devoted to money-getting, and of men in responsible places and men of intellect and influence, though impossible with men, is possible with God. God can and will work through human agencies upon their minds, and through the power of the Holy Spirit many will be led to accept the divine principles in miracles of genuine conversion not now discerned. Though the work brings many discouragements and heart-sickening revelations, even the greatest men of earth are not beyond a wonder-working God when those who work together with Him do their duty bravely, faithfully, and perseveringly. Their conversion is a miracle of the Holy Spirit in which, seeing Christ's selflessness, they recognize their own spiritual poverty, prefer Christ to themselves, and take hold of eternal life. The same possibility with God is connected to the oppressed people of God raising a united, day-and-night cry to heaven for deliverance near the close of the church's history in this mortal state.
What is impossible for human beings to accomplish, and impossible for them to accomplish by their own power, is possible with God. In the account of the rich ruler and the disciples, this corrects the idea that God's favor and the reward of eternal life can be earned by human works. Salvation cannot be secured by human effort or by attachment to earthly wealth, but is possible by God's power, in keeping with His free grace. Even a rich person can enter God's kingdom through God's grace, as Zacchaeus demonstrated, for wealth itself gives no claim to heaven. No one can overcome the heart's attachment to wealth or enter God's kingdom by human effort, but God makes this possible through Christ's unmerited grace. When Christ's love transforms the heart, rich and poor alike treat possessions as God's trust, use them to help others, and serve rather than live for wealth.
Understanding the cost of Christ's sacrifice leads people to surrender themselves and all they possess to Him, to make doing His Word their highest aim, and to accept His purpose of saving them for eternal life. The conversion and entrance into the kingdom of rich men whose lives have been devoted to money-getting, and of men in responsible places and men of intellect and influence, though impossible with men, is possible with God. God can and will work through human agencies upon their minds, and through the power of the Holy Spirit many will be led to accept the divine principles in miracles of genuine conversion not now discerned. Though the work brings many discouragements and heart-sickening revelations, even the greatest men of earth are not beyond a wonder-working God when those who work together with Him do their duty bravely, faithfully, and perseveringly. Their conversion is a miracle of the Holy Spirit in which, seeing Christ's selflessness, they recognize their own spiritual poverty, prefer Christ to themselves, and take hold of eternal life. The same possibility with God is connected to the oppressed people of God raising a united, day-and-night cry to heaven for deliverance near the close of the church's history in this mortal state.