Well of course I told you my interpretation of the stated verses as you have also done, now.
Your words were: I have told you what the passages are saying - several times now.
If you recall the thread correctly, I was the one who posted the verses so that we could see what they actually said.
We differ on what Jesus was really saying to the "rich, young man". Here is the passage from Matthew:
We sure do. I quoted Jesus. You gave me several expositions.
So...my question about this episode is did the young man really tell the truth about never breaking any of the commandments? I believe he thought he was as perfect as a man could be. But, we know that Jesus taught that obeying the commandments of God meant more than just the outward acts but the inward as well. He told the Pharisees about hate being as murder, lust the same as adultery, etc. so it is the spirit of the law and not just the letter of the law. My contention is that this man was self-deluded and Jesus pointed out to him his actual sinful state. Notice, too, that nowhere is there a commandment to give everything you have to the poor.
Jesus did not point out the man's sinful state anywhere. Jesus accepted his testimony and simply added to the requirements. No command to give to the poor? Matthew 5, 6, and 7 gainsay that statement. Acts of the Apostles also has some very good examples for Christians to follow. But Jesus does not tell us generally to give everything to the poor, but He told this man specifically. The Gospels are full of examples of Christian deeds required of us.
I thought it curious that when the guy asks Jesus "Which ones?" and Jesus listed them, he did not list the first, greatest commandment, "And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.". Did you notice that? When the guy left, dejected, it was as I said, he knew he could never trust Christ that much and his money meant more to him. A person who thinks this way - and not just about money - is really saying they don't believe in God. If they really did think that God was real and that by rejecting him they were condemned to eternity in Hell, how many people would still reject him?
Do not judge this man harshly. Even the Apostles largely abandoned Him to die; even Peter denied Him three times. Do you have the same opinion of them? The man didn't want to give up his wealth; the Apostles abandoned Jesus to the Crucifixion. Do you think that they were more virtuous than the man?
To trust in Jesus Christ for my salvation means that I truly cast myself upon his throne of grace, I will not put anything in my life above him, I surrender my entire self to him, whatever he asks me to do, I will do because he is my Lord and Savior. So I hope you can see now that I have not discounted anything that Jesus was saying here, I just in hindsight can understand his point better than the man in the story or the followers of Jesus did.
I could use terms like impious boasting and hubris here (I am a million times as humble as thou art...). But I won't, because I would simply like to point out that since you are human, you don't. You cannot. You may try and you may succeed or you may fail, but I will submit to you (not evening knowing you - I'd bet any amount though) that you have not surrendered yourself completely to God. There are very few people who even come close. I know that I haven't, not by a long shot. I still have more the RDA of pride and I admit it. I do not boast of what I do not have.
Even they asked him, "Who then can be saved?". Yikes, they thought even we won't make it if that's what is required. Jesus said, "With man this is IMPOSSIBLE, but with God all things are possible." Man cannot save himself, he can never be as perfect as God and until he sees his need for grace and mercy, he will not ever have eternal life. Just as Jesus said, "There is only one who is good.", and we know he meant God. This man and all mankind must come to the point of realization that no one is as good as God nor can he ever attain it apart from Christ. We will have the righteousness of God through faith in Christ.
Back to this? Christianity never believed in self salvation; without God, there is no salvation. Yet all four Gospels make it very plain, Paul makes it plain, Acts makes it plain that there are requirements. Without fulfilling these requirements, there is no salvation. Matthew 25 is very plain.
II Cor. 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Yup, might be. Could be. May be. Depending on our Christian conduct which will be Judged by the Almighty. Since you are again reverting to Paul, let us have some of Paul's wisdom to the Romans in Chapter 2:
1 1 Therefore, you are without excuse, every one of you who passes judgment. 2 For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God on those who do such things is true. 3 Do you suppose, then, you who judge those who engage in such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you hold his priceless kindness, forbearance, and patience in low esteem, unaware that the kindness of God would lead you to repentance? 5 By your stubbornness and impenitent heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself for the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgment of God, 6 who will repay everyone according to his works: 3 7 eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality through perseverance in good works, 8 but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth and obey wickedness. 9 Yes, affliction and distress will come upon every human being who does evil, Jew first and then Greek. 10 But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, Jew first and then Greek.
A rhetorical question: will your works stand up to God's Judgement? Or was Paul wrong?
Yup, might be. Could be. May be. Depending on our Christian conduct which will be Judged by the Almighty.
I was just waiting for someone to finally say this! It is funny - ironic - to me that whenever the Scripture uses a word that implies an assurance of some sort, the naysayers always come back with this. "Might be" - yeah but it didn't say will be. "Shall have" - yeah, but it didn't say does have. It is just playing semantics "Password" games.
Like I've said before, go right ahead and trust in your good deeds to usher you into Heaven. "Oh no", you say, "I have faith, too!". But just what kind of faith is it that places the burden on the believer to do a list of works in addition to the faith and then, if there is an instance of sin and death before absolution and penance, ALL the good works and faith made no difference at all and the believer ends up in the same place as the depraved atheist??? Just how much did the faith really mean?
I could use terms like impious boasting and hubris here (I am a million times as humble as thou art...). But I won't, because I would simply like to point out that since you are human, you don't. You cannot. You may try and you may succeed or you may fail, but I will submit to you (not evening knowing you - I'd bet any amount though) that you have not surrendered yourself completely to God. There are very few people who even come close. I know that I haven't, not by a long shot. I still have more the RDA of pride and I admit it. I do not boast of what I do not have.
It is not impious boasting to trust in the promises of God. To not do so is the grievous sin of pride. As long as I have this body of this death (Romans 7:24) hanging around it will be a battle, I know, but through Christ I have the victory and am delivered from the sentence of death. By the way, the term "body of death" had to do with a Roman torture that they used to execute someone painfully and slowly. They tied a dead body to the living man and as the body slowly rotted, the live man slowly got sicker and sicker and eventually died - it just took a long gruesome time. Yuk...it is so hard to think of the unbelievable acts of evil people can think up.
So my works will be held up to God's judgment and the penalty for my sins has already been paid in full by the blood of Christ and I will not be judged guilty of them. It will be an acquittal by God's grace through faith. And I know that not all the things that I have done for Christ are all gold, silver and precious stones, but I will watch those that aren't burn, trusting in the righteous judge and, in the end, all the rewards I may be given I will lay at the feet of Jesus who alone is worthy to receive all glory, honor and praise for all eternity!