Bible Questions Answered: Rich Young Ruler

Bible Questions Answered:
When I read the story of the rich young ruler, I see that if he had only done the right works, he would have been in the kingdom, do you see this?
Miron /Wolomin, Poland

Bible Answers:
No, and here's why.

Matthew 19:16-22 KJV
[16] And, behold, one came and said unto Him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
[17] And He said unto him, Why callest thou Me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
[18] He saith unto Him, Which? Jesus said,
Thou shalt do no murder, (Exodus 20:13 commandment # six.)
Thou shalt not commit adultery, (Exodus 20:14 commandment # seven.)
Thou shalt not steal, (Exodus 20:15 commandment # eight.)
Thou shalt not bear false witness, (Exodus 20:16 commandment # nine.)
[19] Honour thy father and thy mother: and, (Exodus 20:12 commandment # five.)
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Exodus 20:17 commandment # ten.)

(Christ asked the young man concerning commandments five through ten, but omitted commandments one through four, which are....

Exodus 20:3 commandment # 1 “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.”

Exodus 20:4-6 commandment # 2
[4] Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
[5] Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me;
[6] And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments.

Exodus 20:7 commandment # 3
Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain.

Exodus 20:8 commandment # 4 “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. “

[20] The young man saith unto Him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
[21] Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow Me.
[22] But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
[23] Then said Jesus unto His disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
[24] And again I say unto you, 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.
[25] When His disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
[26] But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Matthew 19:16-26 NLT
16 Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”
17 “Why ask Me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.”

18 “Which ones?” the man asked. And Jesus replied:
“‘ You must not murder.
You must not commit adultery.
You must not steal.
You must not testify falsely.
19 Honor your father and mother.
Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

20 “I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?”
21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
22 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
24 I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”
25 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.
26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”


This story lies in two parts,

Part I
The rich young ruler addressed Jesus as “Good Master*” -Matthew 19:16)

* Master: Greek- Didaskalos (did-as-kal-os): Instructor, doctor, teacher, master.
In John 1:38 rendered Rabbi/ John 20:16 -Rabboni.

Jesus responded, “Why callest thou Me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: - Matthew 19:17.)

Had the you ruler thought Jesus to be God?
No, for when he responded again, he did not use the phrase.

Part II
Jesus then responded, “but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.-
Matthew 19:17.)

Christ then went on to name five commandments, five through ten.

The “self-righteous,” young man boasted....
“All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? - Matthew 19:20.)

Jesus knew the heart of the young man.

Psalm 139:1-4 KJV
[1] O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
[2] Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
[3] Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
[4] For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

Hebrews 4:12,13 KJV
[12] For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
[13] Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

Matthew 19:21 KJV
Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow Me.

Jesus knew the young man neglected the first four commandments.

Matthew 19:22 KJV
But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

John 8:9 KJV
"And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone..."

Proverbs 1:29 KJV
He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

Sinful man cannot keep the law.

Romans 3:28 KJV
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Galatians 2:16 KJV
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Galatians 3:11 KJV
But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

Man hopes to manufacture his own means of salvation, but he is self-deceived.

Jeremiah 17:9 KJV
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Ephesians 2:8,9 KJV
[8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
[9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Titus 3:5-7 KJV
[5] Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
[6] Which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
[7] That being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Romans 5:8,9 KJV
[8] But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
[9] Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. (Not of human works.)

The Love of Money:

Greed: Excessive desire for getting or having, wealth; desire for more than one needs or deserves; avarice. (New World Dictionary)

Ephesians 5:1-6 NLT
1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children.
2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.
4 Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.
5 You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
6 Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey Him.

Did you notice the bedfellows of greed?
Sexual Immorality, Impurity, obscene stories, foolish talk, coarse jokes, immoral, impure, idolater.

You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God

I Timothy 6:9 KJV
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

I Timothy 1:19 KJV
Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

The end of the matter:

I John 2:15-17 KJV
[15] Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

[16] For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

[17] And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

I Peter 4:17 KJV
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?