Jesus wasn't referring to how to be saved.
Everything Jesus did and said was concerning being save and for salvation. I'm pretty shock you say something like that. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21). Paul says in Romans 10: 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Paul says in Romans 1: 16 For
I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the
power of God unto salvation to
every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the
righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written,
The just shall live by faith.
Do you think Jesus was telling him how to be saved? The man wasn't even close to that, as Jesus, who is omniscient God, already knew.
Jesus' point was to show the man that he WASN'T keeping the whole law, as he thought he was.
Let's go back into Matthew 19: 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, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, 19
Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Notice the young man says "All these things have I kept from my youth up:
what lack I yet?"
The young man didn’t need to ask this question to Jesus, because he was already in a good place with the Lord. This is where the story gets interesting, because if you read the full story which we have to do, to get full understanding. We will see that the commandments Jesus mention wasn't the young man problem, it was something else.
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.
So Jesus says if thou be perfect, that means the young was really close to being perfect, but the young had great riches that he couldn't let go, and that goes with what Jesus says in Matthew (22:37) Jesus said unto him,
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (38)
This is the first and great commandment. This was very hard for the young man to do. So let's recap the story a little, the young man kept the commandments from his youth up, all most perfect, except one thing Jesus ask him to do, and that's sell all his possession and come follow him.
So let's continue in Matthew 19: 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.
True. James' point was that the ONLY WAY for others to SEE your faith is through your actions/deeds.
Untrue. The FACT that the Bible is full of commands of how to live, what to do, and what not to do, proves otherwise.
The reference is to patient saints. Not all saints. It is the patient saints that keep the commandments of God.
Why is the Bible filled with commands about lifestyle, if all believers will always keep them anyway?
The bible speaks of only one way to get eternal salvation.
"One Lord,
one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
” (Ephesians 4:5,6). The road to eternal salvation starts with knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. God doesn't want us to memorize two or three verses, but instead he left the entire bible so we can learn how to get salvation. If we learn it, believe it and obey it (the bible), salvation will be our reward.
For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. (Matthew 16:27). Before you can start any task you must first know about it and without the key of knowledge we are lost. "...
thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make the wise unto salvation..." (II Timothy 4:15).
Since the Lord is the
author of eternal salvation we can only obtain it by serving him his way (Hebrews 5:9). Some choose to rely on the wisdom of their pastor by putting his word above God's word. Nevertheless, in judgment each one of us will give account for our own salvation. Therefore, we must not let anyone lead us down the wrong path, but should verify all of our teaching with the holy bible. YOUR SALVATION IS AT STAKE! "...
work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12).
