Amen dearest sister and brother!! The young ruler asked the most important question we must ask and answer. "And when He was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to Him, and asked Him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" The answer came quickly: "In reply to this question Jesus told him that obedience to the commandments of God was necessary if he would obtain eternal life."
It was an answer that would reveal to the rich man that his life must change, for he was selfish like all who live on this dark spot in the universe until we are converted. But, being deceived about his obedience to the commandments, Jesus told him to sell all he had. This got to the truth that he was indeed selfish and he was not willing to exchange the things of this world for eternal life in a world without sin. Not only did he give up eternal life, he gave up love, joy, and peace in this world.
We who love the Lord our God with all of the heart experience the joy that Jesus did in searching for and finding those who are seeking truth. Today, like never before, there are a multitude wanting to know what they can do as they see the world falling apart as never before. What was it that enabled Jesus to carry the sins of the world? What would be His reward for all He suffered?
When Christ's followers give back to the Lord His own, they are accumulating treasure which will be given to them when they shall hear the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant; . . . enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." "Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Matthew 25:23; Hebrews 12:2. The joy of seeing souls redeemed, souls eternally saved, is the reward of all that put their feet in the footprints of Him who said, "Follow Me." The joy of Christ was that of seeing souls saved in His glorious kingdom; and for this joy He “endured the cross, despising the shame.” But soon “He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied.” How happy will those be, who, having shared in His work, are permitted to share in His joy!
Since we cannot keep the commandments until converted, then in order to answer the question as to what must I do, we must go further. We must love the Lord our God with all of the heart. But, we must go further in explaining how it is that we can love God supremely. This last Sabbath I was permitted to answer the question asked by our Sabbath School teacher when asked how can we trust and love Jesus. The answer is obvious when we are asked how we came to love the one we chose to marry. All answer by spending time with them. We cannot truly know someone until spend time with them. Then the real answer as to how we can be saved (transformed) is to spend time with Jesus so that we can know and love Him with all of the heart. "We love Him because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19. But, in order to know this, we must learn for ourselves that He loves us. Jesus said we must "drink His blood and eat His flesh." He also said that "man does not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." The Word is a revelation of the character of God. Spend time in the Word to know God. If we have seen Jesus we have seen God. And we are told that by beholding His glory which is His character, we are changed into His image which is His character. Where can we behold His character? Listen to Jesus tell Nicodemus what He must do in order to have eternal life: "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up" that we might look and live. We have all been bitten by sin and will die unless we look upon Jesus lifted up on the cross suffering by the stripes that belong to each of us. It is by beholding these stripes that we are healed. "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." Isaiah 53:5.
When we who by beholding this great love are transformed, then we will have living water that we can share with those who are crying out for help. We point them to behold the One who was bruised, battered, and beaten hanging on a cross that we might live.
