Mark 10:17-20 (NKJV) Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honour your father and your mother.’ ” And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.”
In this passage, the commandments uttered by Jesus are some of the common sins that the rich young ruler or anyone who is successful might commit, such as being untruthful, covetous, dishonest in our business dealings, tempted by vices and not making time for our parents. When someone practises such values, their conscience will continually convict them and drive them to attempt to be good and change from the “outside in” through the law, religion or philosophy.
What sets Christianity apart from all other religions is that everything that is needed from us to stand right before God is done by Jesus Christ. It has nothing to do with us while all other religions emphasise on doing. This is why Jesus asked all those who are weary and heavy laden by religion to come to Him to find rest, and this is why the Gospel is good news, because salvation is by grace through faith!
Jesus was dealing with the issue of the rich young ruler’s heart that prevented him from having childlike faith in Jesus. Jesus will not contradict the Word because salvation will not come through good works, giving up of our possessions or anything that would allow us to boast.
No amount of works of righteousness that we have done can earn us a right standing with God, but God in His mercy sent forth His Son Jesus Christ to redeem us from our sins through His death on the cross, His shed blood and resurrection.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Nothing would help the rich young ruler even if he were to give up all his possessions to help the poor, because we are saved by the grace of God and not by works. He would not have been able to boast that he had salvation because he had given up everything. Salvation is a gift freely given by God, which cannot be purchased. All we need is to come with childlike faith to receive the gift of righteousness imputed to us by acknowledging Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. Simply believe with simple faith.
Sermon Series: Are You Young and Rich?
单纯的信心
马可福音10:17-20耶稣出来行路的时候、有一个人跑来、跪在他面前问他说、良善的夫子、我当作甚么事、才可以承受永生。耶稣对他说、你为甚么称我是良善的．除了 神一位之外、再没有良善的。诫命你是晓得的、不可杀人、不可奸淫、不可偷盗、不可作假见证、不可亏负人、当孝敬父母。 他对耶稣说、夫子、这一切我从小都遵守了。
在这段经文中，耶稣所说的诫命是那位年轻的财主或任何成功人士可能犯下的一些常见罪过，比如不说实话，贪婪，在生意往来中不诚实，受恶习诱惑，没有为我们父母留出时间等等。当人们践行这样的价值观时，他们的良心将不断地定他们的罪，促使他们尝试成为好人，并通过法律，宗教或哲学“自外而内”地进行改变。
使基督教有别于其他宗教的关键在于：那使我们得以站在上帝面前而需要的一切都由耶稣完成了。当其他宗教强调“行为”的时候，“行为”却与我们无关。这就是为什么耶稣要所有因宗教而承受重担和疲倦的人去祂那里得安息，这就是为什么福音是好消息，因为救恩是凭着信心靠着恩典而得的！
耶稣处理的是那位年轻的财主内心的问题，这问题使他无法对耶稣抱有像孩子般单纯的信心。耶稣不会与圣经相抵触，因为救恩的得着不是凭着善行，也不是凭着舍弃财产或任何其他可夸之物。
无论我们做多少义行，都无法赢得在上帝面前的公义地位，但上帝仁慈地差派了祂的爱子耶稣基督，通过祂在十字架上的死，流血和复活，把我们从罪中赎回。
以弗所书2：8-9你们得救是本乎恩、也因着信、这并不是出于自己、乃是 神所赐的．也不是出于行为、免得有人自夸。
即便那个年轻的财主愿意放弃所有的财产来赒济穷人，他也不会因此而得救，因我们得救本乎恩，而不是凭着行为。他就不能夸口说他是因为舍弃了一切才得了救恩。救恩是上帝免费赠送的礼物，有钱也买不到。我们所需要的只是怀着孩子般的信心，通过承认耶稣基督是我们的主和救主来领受归于我们的公义礼物。以单纯的信心，就这么信了。
讲章系列：你年轻并富有吗？