One More Thought on the Rich Young Ruler
One More Thought on the Rich Young Ruler
pushing back a bit on pitting 'faith vs works'
"Good teacher, what good thing must I do to inherit eternal life?" (Matt 19.16)
If there ever were a time for Jesus to teach on 'justification by faith and not by works' here it is. Rich Young Ruler threw him a softball right over the middle of the plate.
Woulda been so easy for Jesus to say "You can't DO anything to inherit eternal life haven't you read Romans 6.23 son?"
But, he doesn't.
He responds by *giving the man something to do*.
"Go, sell what you possess, and give the money to the poor".
Apparently, according to Jesus, there IS something this man can do to inherit eternal life.
I wonder, too, if Christians today could learn from Jesus: that eternal life is a *divine political economy* that places claims on our resources and relationships and necessitates participation in a concrete acts and behaviors.
What if...we didn't make every text answer the questions we obsess on...and let the text shape new and better questions for us?
Jesus isn't as anxious about the threat of 'earning salvation' as we seem to be.
Jesus's offer of eternal life includes participation in a 'way of life' that confronts and opposes Mammon (i.e. the world's political economy).
Jesus offers eternal life that is full of DO'S.
Love this. Thank you.
Yes, belief in Jesus is also a life lived on his behalf. Thinking we don’t have to do anything can exhibit a vacuous faith. I have long contemplated why so many Christians read past the depth of this passage.