Can Good Behavior and Wealth Secure Eternal Life?
Welcome to Day 279 of our journey with Jesus. Today, we consider what Jesus calls us to question in our beliefs or lives. The main truth for today is this: Sincerity, good behavior, and wealth cannot secure eternal life without God's saving action. Let’s begin.
Current details of the journeyView the calendar, Episode and passage
Jesus in Action
Mark 10:17–31
Step 4 of 5
Examine what Jesus calls us to question in our beliefs or lives.
Bí Jesu ti bẹ̀rẹ̀ ìrìnàjò rẹ, ọkùnrin kan sáré wá sọ́dọ̀ rẹ̀. Ó sì kúnlẹ̀, ó béèrè pé, “Olùkọ́ rere, kí ni èmi yóò ṣe láti jogún ìyè àìnípẹ̀kun?” Jesu béèrè pé, arákùnrin, “Èéṣe tí o fi ń pè mí ní ẹni rere? Ẹni rere kan kò sí Ọlọ́run nìkan ni ẹni rere. Ìwọ mọ àwọn òfin bí: ‘Ìwọ kò gbọdọ̀ pànìyàn, ìwọ kò gbọdọ̀ ṣe panṣágà, ìwọ kò gbọdọ̀ jalè, ìwọ kò gbọdọ̀ purọ́, ìwọ kò gbọdọ̀ rẹ́ ọmọnìkejì jẹ, bọ̀wọ̀ fún baba àti ìyá rẹ.’ ” Ọkùnrin náà dáhùn pé, “Olùkọ́, gbogbo nǹkan wọ̀nyí ni èmi ń ṣe láti ìgbà èwe mi wá.” Jesu wò ó tìfẹ́tìfẹ́. Ó wí fún un pé, “Bí ó bá rí bẹ́ẹ̀, ohun kan ló kù fún ọ láti ṣe, lọ nísinsin yìí, ta gbogbo nǹkan tí o ní, kí o sì pín owó náà fún àwọn aláìní ìwọ yóò sì ní ìṣúra ní ọ̀run, sì wá, kí ó sì máa tọ̀ mí lẹ́yìn.” Nígbà tí ọkùnrin yìí gbọ́ èyí, ojú rẹ̀ korò, ó sì lọ pẹ̀lú ìbànújẹ́, nítorí pé ó ní ọrọ̀ púpọ̀. Jesu wò ó bí ọkùnrin náà ti ń lọ. Ó yípadà, ó sì sọ fún àwọn ọmọ-ẹ̀yìn rẹ̀ pé, “Àní, ohun ìṣòro ni fún ọlọ́rọ̀ láti wọ ìjọba Ọlọ́run!” Ọ̀rọ̀ yìí ya àwọn ọmọ-ẹ̀yìn rẹ̀ lẹ́nu. Jesu tún sọ fún wọn pé, “Ẹyin ọmọ yóò tí ṣòro tó fún àwọn tí ó ní ìgbẹ́kẹ̀lé nínú ọrọ̀ láti wọ ìjọba Ọlọ́run. Ó rọrùn fún ìbákasẹ láti gba ojú abẹ́rẹ́ wọlé jù fún ọlọ́rọ̀ kan láti wọ ìjọba ọ̀run.” Ẹnu túbọ̀ ya àwọn ọmọ-ẹ̀yìn sí i. Wọ́n béèrè wí pé, “Tí ó bá rí bẹ́ẹ̀, ta ni nínú ayé ni ó lè ní ìgbàlà?” Jesu wò wọ́n, ó sì wí fún wọn pé, “Ènìyàn ní èyí kò ṣe é ṣe fún ṣùgbọ́n kì í ṣe fún Ọlọ́run, nítorí ohun gbogbo ni ṣíṣe fún Ọlọ́run.” Nígbà náà ni Peteru kọjú sí Jesu, ó wí pé, “Àwa ti fi ohun gbogbo sílẹ̀, a sì ń tọ̀ ọ́ lẹ́yìn.” Jesu dáhùn pé, “Lóòótọ́ ni mo wí fún un yín pé, kò sí ẹnikẹ́ni tí ó fi ohunkóhun sílẹ̀ bí: ilé, tàbí àwọn arákùnrin, tàbí àwọn arábìnrin, tàbí ìyá, tàbí baba, tàbí àwọn ọmọ tàbí ohun ìní nítorí mi àti nítorí ìyìnrere, tí a kì yóò fún padà ní ọgọọgọ́rùn-ún àwọn ilé, tàbí arákùnrin, tàbí arábìnrin, tàbí ìyá, tàbí ọmọ, tàbí ilẹ̀, àti inúnibíni pẹ̀lú. Gbogbo nǹkan wọ̀nyí yóò jẹ́ tirẹ̀ ní ayé yìí àti pé ní ayé tó ń bọ̀ yóò ní ìyè àìnípẹ̀kun. Ṣùgbọ́n ọ̀pọ̀ àwọn tí ó síwájú ni yóò di ẹni ìkẹyìn, àwọn tí ó sì kẹ́yìn yóò síwájú.”
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The man appears to bring several advantages to the conversation: sincerity, moral seriousness, social standing, and wealth. Jesus treats none of them as a guarantee of eternal life.
Watch: Facing the Cost: Will You Surrender What You Trust Most?
Watch the companion video, then continue reading to examine the biblical testimony in its full context.
Sincerity Is Not Surrender.
He runs and kneels, but when Jesus touches the controlling issue, he walks away. A serious question does not automatically produce a surrendered answer.
Morality Cannot Save.
The man reports long obedience to the commandments Jesus names. Jesus does not accuse him of lying, yet the conversation still ends with lack. Moral achievement is not presented as the power that saves.
Wealth Can Hide Dependence.
Possessions create options, influence, and security. Jesus warns that these benefits can become obstacles when they teach the heart to trust what it can control.
The Assumption Beneath the Question.
“What must I do?” can imply that eternal life is something we can finally secure by sufficient achievement. Jesus ends by saying salvation is impossible with man and possible with God. That overturns every system of spiritual self-rescue.
Consider this.
Which assumption does Jesus confront in you?
Examine your assumptions
Let Jesus expose the securities you may mistake for spiritual life.