Rather than diligently seek for the truth that sets free, many are
seeking and following after popular opinions instead of convictions and
are being led astray by false doctrines.
There are many false beliefs in this Last Days. One of them is known as the Good Works Approach. Another is the doctrine of eternal security that says ‘Once Saved, Forever Saved’’.
Those who believe in the Good Works Approach say that God will add up all their good works and their bad works and if their good is greater than their bad, they have passed the test and will be admitted into Heaven. They think that their external religious works settles the matter and earns them favour before God.
This was the major error and undoing of the rich young ruler in Luke Chapter 18:18-24. He had great riches and a powerful office as a ruler. He had good morals and manners and claimed he kept the Law of Moses, the Ten Commandments to the letter.
This young ruler measured his obedience to God by his external actions but not by his inward attitudes and was convinced that he was blameless before God. However, in his inward attitudes, he was not blameless before God.
He was a covetous man who had a love of money, who trusted in his great riches and was not willing to use his riches to glorify God. His covetous attitude violated the tenth commandment in the Law of Moses, indicating his inability to keep the whole Law he boasted about.
He lacked a living faith in God. He made money his god and wanted salvation and eternal life on his own terms. He did not see himself as a sinner before God, rather boasted about the laws he kept from his youth, trusting in his own self-righteousness.
Isaiah 64:6 says,
‘’ But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags…’’
Jesus offered him salvation and eternal life on His own terms which the young ruler turned down. He was told to liquidate his estate and give the money to the poor, then take up a cross and follow Jesus.
Because the deceitfulness of riches had choked his heart and was unwilling to give it up, he rejected God’s greatest gift to man: eternal life. He lost eternal life because he could not humble himself.
Sin is rooted in the heart. Mark 7: 21-23 says,
‘’for from within, out of the hearts of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within and defile the man.’’
The young ruler by his inward attitudes was a defiled person before the Lord yet did not want to acknowledge that fact. His good works religiosity fell short of God’s standards for salvation and eternal life. Good works alone without the new birth and the right changes in the heart and opening one’s heart to Jesus is vain.
Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). Holiness that is acceptable to God must be within and without i.e. both inward and outward. Man believes in outward holiness only.
We cannot be saved from sin by keeping the law or keeping some laws. The Law is a mirror that shows us how unclean we are but it cannot wash us clean. The Law can bring us to Christ but cannot make us to be like Christ. Only grace and faith in Christ can do it (Ephesians 2:8-10) (Galatians 2:16-21).
Another prominent scriptural example was the Pharisee in Luke 18:10-14 who went into the temple to pray. He boasted before God about his tithes and fasting while condemning the publican beside him as a sinner. The Pharisee was proud and did not see himself as a sinner. He thought his self-righteousness was sufficient.
Many today are like the rich young ruler and the Pharisee who are trusting in their self-righteousness and external religious works as their key to salvation and do not want to humble themselves before God.
Justification before God is by our faith in Christ and not by our works of the law, for by the works of the law, shall no flesh be justified (Galatians 2:16).
We need to act like the Publican in Luke 18:13. He humbled himself, acknowledged his sinfulness and asked God for mercy unlike the proud and boastful Pharisee. The Publican was justified for his humility and sincerity.
We need to receive salvation on God’s own terms by coming to Him through Jesus Christ who alone can save. Reconciliation with God is effected through Jesus Christ who is the only name given for the salvation of men (Acts 4:12). Salvation is by grace and by faith in Christ.
Ephesians 2:8-9 says,
‘’ ‘’for by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.’’
Prayer: Lord Jesus, have mercy on me. I am a sinner (Luke 18:13)
There are many false beliefs in this Last Days. One of them is known as the Good Works Approach. Another is the doctrine of eternal security that says ‘Once Saved, Forever Saved’’.
Those who believe in the Good Works Approach say that God will add up all their good works and their bad works and if their good is greater than their bad, they have passed the test and will be admitted into Heaven. They think that their external religious works settles the matter and earns them favour before God.
This was the major error and undoing of the rich young ruler in Luke Chapter 18:18-24. He had great riches and a powerful office as a ruler. He had good morals and manners and claimed he kept the Law of Moses, the Ten Commandments to the letter.
This young ruler measured his obedience to God by his external actions but not by his inward attitudes and was convinced that he was blameless before God. However, in his inward attitudes, he was not blameless before God.
He was a covetous man who had a love of money, who trusted in his great riches and was not willing to use his riches to glorify God. His covetous attitude violated the tenth commandment in the Law of Moses, indicating his inability to keep the whole Law he boasted about.
He lacked a living faith in God. He made money his god and wanted salvation and eternal life on his own terms. He did not see himself as a sinner before God, rather boasted about the laws he kept from his youth, trusting in his own self-righteousness.
Isaiah 64:6 says,
‘’ But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags…’’
Jesus offered him salvation and eternal life on His own terms which the young ruler turned down. He was told to liquidate his estate and give the money to the poor, then take up a cross and follow Jesus.
Because the deceitfulness of riches had choked his heart and was unwilling to give it up, he rejected God’s greatest gift to man: eternal life. He lost eternal life because he could not humble himself.
Sin is rooted in the heart. Mark 7: 21-23 says,
‘’for from within, out of the hearts of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within and defile the man.’’
The young ruler by his inward attitudes was a defiled person before the Lord yet did not want to acknowledge that fact. His good works religiosity fell short of God’s standards for salvation and eternal life. Good works alone without the new birth and the right changes in the heart and opening one’s heart to Jesus is vain.
Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). Holiness that is acceptable to God must be within and without i.e. both inward and outward. Man believes in outward holiness only.
We cannot be saved from sin by keeping the law or keeping some laws. The Law is a mirror that shows us how unclean we are but it cannot wash us clean. The Law can bring us to Christ but cannot make us to be like Christ. Only grace and faith in Christ can do it (Ephesians 2:8-10) (Galatians 2:16-21).
Another prominent scriptural example was the Pharisee in Luke 18:10-14 who went into the temple to pray. He boasted before God about his tithes and fasting while condemning the publican beside him as a sinner. The Pharisee was proud and did not see himself as a sinner. He thought his self-righteousness was sufficient.
Many today are like the rich young ruler and the Pharisee who are trusting in their self-righteousness and external religious works as their key to salvation and do not want to humble themselves before God.
Justification before God is by our faith in Christ and not by our works of the law, for by the works of the law, shall no flesh be justified (Galatians 2:16).
We need to act like the Publican in Luke 18:13. He humbled himself, acknowledged his sinfulness and asked God for mercy unlike the proud and boastful Pharisee. The Publican was justified for his humility and sincerity.
We need to receive salvation on God’s own terms by coming to Him through Jesus Christ who alone can save. Reconciliation with God is effected through Jesus Christ who is the only name given for the salvation of men (Acts 4:12). Salvation is by grace and by faith in Christ.
Ephesians 2:8-9 says,
‘’ ‘’for by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.’’
Prayer: Lord Jesus, have mercy on me. I am a sinner (Luke 18:13)
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