Will the rich young ruler inherit eternal life?

[tonychanyt]

Lk 16:

13 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Two chapters later, Lk 18:

18 A ruler [R1] asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

R1 opened his question by calling Jesus "good", probably trying to gain favor from Jesus by flattery. Jesus saw through his intent.

19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” 21 And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.”

Jesus didn't contradict him. That did not imply that Jesus affirmed him either. Sometimes, Jesus would ignore a false claim and follow up with a deeper confrontation.

22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.

R1 was rich and unwilling to give up his wealth. He was sad because he didn't think that, according to Jesus, he would inherit eternal life.

24 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!

Jesus agreed with R1's assessment.

25 For 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.” 26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?”

Other listeners got the same understanding.

R1, Jesus, and other listeners did not think R1 would inherit eternal life.

Will R1?

27 But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

It was possible, depending on what he would do with his wealth after his encounter with Jesus. However, the probability was not all that good. On the other hand, in the next chapter, Zacchaeus the tax collector provided a positive example (Lk 19:8).

Would love to hear your thoughts on whether Jesus was setting a condition for salvation that contradicts Paul’s message of grace, or if there is a deeper connection between these teachings.

A deeper connection. See JUSTIFICATION by works, grace, or faith?

Did the rich young ruler miss out on eternal life because of his attachment to wealth, or was it about something more than just the act of giving it all up?

Both. Jesus demands our utmost love (Mt 10:37). We cannot love God and money. The meek will inherit eternal life.

 

[Lukaris]

I think it depends on whether the rich young man saw the law fulfilled in the Cross. The Lord told him the commandments before the Cross in Matthew 19:16-19. If the rich young man was converted along the lines of Romans 10:9-13 ( for ex.) and continued to keep the same commandments of the Lord ( see Romans 13:8-10) then by grace is salvation ( Ephesians 2:8-10, Colossians 1:10-23, etc.).

 

[timewerx]

I think it depends on whether the rich young man saw the law fulfilled in the Cross. The Lord told him the commandments before the Cross in Matthew 19:16-19. If the rich young man was converted along the lines of Romans 10:9-13 ( for ex.) and continued to keep the same commandments of the Lord ( see Romans 13:8-10) then by grace is salvation ( Ephesians 2:8-10, Colossians 1:10-23, etc.).

Most Christians don't know what believing in Jesus means.

First we quote Paul's teaching on believing:

Romans 10:14
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

This is the part Christians are not aware about belief:

John 14:12
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

Jesus lived as he preached. That is the work He accomplished. He meant what He said, it will be hard for the rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven because they will not be able to live the way Jesus lived because Jesus did not indulge Himself in things that money can buy.

It's also very hard to love other people if you love money because if you love money, you will not be a good steward of God's provisions because you'll keep most of it to yourself.

 

[Lukaris]

I believe the Lord accepted the young man’s basic testimony but called him to the conclusion of what he claimed. It was a shock and he was unprepared for it (I try to learn humility from it). I don’t think he was a bad guy but fell into a dangerous self assurance ( probably at the opposite attitude end of the Pharisee and the publican parable in Luke 18:9-14). I believe the Lord says we have to have the courage to be martyrs but should not seek to be martyrs etc. ( 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 verse 3 in focus here). The Lord expects good works from us but we are not to claim any self justification of this ( Ephesians 2:8-10, Luke 17:5-10).