will GOOD get me to heaven?

How good,
is good enough
for God?

It's a question people
have struggled over
for centuries.

For there have been times
in my life, as I'm sure in many,
when I've questioned,
Can God still love me,
accept me,
approve of me,
even want me eternally,
after what I've done?

And even then,
when I consider that
He has forgiven me...
What do I need to do
to make things right with Him?

I think we all struggle
at some point with this.
For we are humans
who have learned from society
to measure ourselves,
our worth and our value,
compared to others.

Even the comparison
of what is good, and how good;
and what is evil, and to what degree?

Whether we admit this or not,
it has become ingrained in us.
How good is good enough?
How much bad
will keep me from good?

And God knows that this
sort of constant comparison
and contemplation is not
a source of security and hope.

Nor is it within His plan
for our relationship with Him.

So while He had the chance,
Jesus made certain to tell us
whether this was a right system
of self-evaluation.

As He was going out on the road...
Now behold,
one came and said to Him,
“Good Teacher, what good thing
shall I do that I may have eternal life?
Matthew 19:16

This man who approached Him
stated it very matter-of-factly...
desiring to have the right description
so that he could go, measure it out,
and be sure to get it done.

As if it were one good thing in life
we could accomplish
to earn our way into God's heart.

So Jesus said to him,
“Why do you call Me good?
No one is good but One, that is, God.
Mark 10:17

And this to be sure,
is a great start to answer
our question.

For the man called Jesus,
Good Teacher, realizing that
He was like a rabbi in His knowledge
of the scriptures, and clearly
one whom he trusted for answers.

But interestingly, the man
has qualified Jesus as being GOOD,
and is also wanting to know
what GOOD thing he can do
to earn his salvation.

And Jesus reveals two things.
First, that He is, in fact God,
and this man has rightly called Him.
For only God is GOOD.
Which implies the second thing,
that there is no GOOD thing
any man can do... because
only God is GOOD.

So Jesus continues...
You know the commandments:
‘Do not commit adultery,’
‘Do not murder,’
‘Do not steal,’
‘Do not bear false witness,’
‘Do not defraud,’
‘Honor your father and your mother.’”

Here Jesus lists six of the ten
given as law, and only
forgiven by offering a sacrifice
at the temple.

And he answered and said to Him,
“Teacher, all these things
I have kept from my youth.”

Surely, this is an exemplary man.
But good teachers are often kind,
not pointing out
in front of others
what the student has failed.
Could this be the reason
for only six?

And turning to
His heart of compassion...
Then Jesus, looking at him,
loved him, and said to him,
“One thing you lack...

But good teachers also
must stretch the student
toward learning something new
which often will point to an area
of misunderstanding or lack.

Go your way,
sell whatever you have
and give to the poor, and
you will have treasure in heaven;
and come, take up the cross,
and follow Me.”
Matthew 19:18-21

Now this to be sure
can be a stumbling block.

But let me point out,
that Jesus didn't make this
a command to all people,
but an instruction to this man.

It's not to say that we are exempt
from letting go of material things
as they draw us in to idolatry.
But it is to teach us the depth
to which this man was attached
to the things that held him.

But he was sad at this word,
and went away sorrowful,
for he had great possessions
Mark 10:17-22

What makes me curious
about this man,
who could have been
the 13th disciple...
is that he came seeking answers
because he clearly knew his lack.

Yet he left sorrowful,
still empty, still unfulfilled.
Clearly, the riches he was returning to
brought him no contentment,
or why would he came to Jesus
seeking certainty and hope?

And the only reason Jesus asked him
to give something up is, ironically
because He knew that it's absence
would fill the void within.

This man was a rich, young ruler.
He had gained independence and
security in this life.

It was the after...
the eternal, that caused him concern.

As it should be with us.
For this life is mist, a breath,
but a vapor compared to eternity.

And many of us hold tightly
to something that seemingly
gives us security.
It may not be money or material goods.

But it could be...
the approval of others,
a position or career,
a relationship that feeds emotion, or
even an addiction to substance
whether healthy or harmful.

And while God does not command
everyone to sell everything and
give it to the poor,
He will ask us, in our own time,
based on our own desires,
to give something up for Him.

And it will require faith
to trust Him that the absence
of that thing will actually fill the void
that stirs deeper within.

Matthew actually wrote it this way..
Jesus said to him,
“If you want to be perfect,
go, sell what you have and
give to the poor, and
you will have treasure in heaven;
and come, follow Me.”
Matthew 19:21

If you want to be perfect...
That sounds impossible,
when all the man asked for
was to know the one GOOD thing.

But this word perfect
is not like the perfection that Jesus
lived throughout His life.
Because that is unattainable for us.

This is, however, an awesome word...
perfect: from the root word teleios.
having reached it's end; complete.

The word brings a vision of
a pirate's telescope,
which extends out, one stage at a time
in order to function at full strength.

As we follow Jesus, He stretches us...
extends us one stage at a time,
maturing us as we go through life
to reach an end goal... our purpose.

So one day we will be functioning
perfectly, at full strength;
complete and satisfied.
This to be sure
in the strength that only
the Good Teacher can provide.

But are we willing...
to be stretched, extended,
sometimes twisted and turned
as He pulls into focus that end
for which He created us?

Word of God
train me today...
To trust You in the giving up
whatever You ask, knowing that
it's absence will fill my void.

To look forward to the stretch
as I become telescoped toward
my purposed future; serving You in
the perfection and strength
​only You provide..