Just Doing It Doesn’t Cut It – by Bilyana de Soto
Dec 24, 2015 1507
It’s not easy to get away from measuring our worth by a list of things WE do.
Take the enthusiastic rich young ruler who came to Jesus with this question: “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?’” – Mark 10:17
No doubt this was a question by an action oriented man, a doer and an achiever who most likely saw his wealth and status in society as a result of keeping on top of his portfolio by getting involved, being proactive and just doing it.
Inheriting eternal life, as far as he was concerned, was a question of knowing just exactly what to do. His very question to Jesus is an index to his theology of salvation. It’s all about MY DOING. Who better to give him ‘the to do list’ than Jesus?
Interestingly enough Jesus indulges him by following the young man’s line of questioning, and simply responds with – well if it’s doing you’re after, here’s a list of 10 to start off with. You can just see the rich man patting himself on the back with I-thought-as-much-chuckle, as he agrees with Jesus, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.”…
Many Christians run away with this answer of Christ’s as the confirmation they needed that it’s by keeping God’s laws that we are saved. What a travesty!
If YOU want so save yourself by your own doing, if you want to be saved by law-keeping, Jesus is saying, then go and keep it perfectly in all of the fullness of its requirements – 100% of the time, with 100% of your talents, energy, money and with all that you are and with all that you do. Be careful not to ever slip, not even once! Be sure not to ever have wrong thoughts nor desires; no omissions permitted nor commissions of wrong in any way, at any time.
WOW! Do you think for a moment that that is your ticket to eternity? How foolish the rich man’s theology! How ignorantly and arrogantly he underestimated the requirements of God’s holy law!
Just as significantly though, Jesus is saying that God has no use of our activity diary if it’s not in keeping with the very first, and the greatest commandment, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” – Mark 12:30. On that score the young man was nowhere to be found.
Instead of checking off the “to do list”, check who your heart is beating for. Who is the love of your life?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not arguing we should all stop ‘doing’ – God is indeed calling us to be doers of the word. But God’s ‘to do list’ is only pleasing to God when He’s got your heart.
Unfortunately the rich young man went away from Jesus sad. Jesus did not comply with his theology of 10 stairs to heaven.
It’s not easy getting away from measuring our worth by our list of things WE do. Jesus nailed that way of relating to Him to the cross, and gave us a new way – you are worthy because Jesus loves you and died for you.
Having cancelled and blotted out and wiped away the handwriting of the note [bond] with its legal decrees and demands which was in force and stood against us [hostile to us]. This [note with its regulations, decrees, and demands] He set aside and cleared completely out of our way by nailing it to cross. – Col. 2:14 (AMP)
– Bilyana De Soto
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