Sarah Nyhan

I was reading in Luke 18. First there is the story of the Pharisee and the publican. The Pharisee trusted in himself and what he had done. The publican did not. The publican pleaded for God’s mercy and was saved.

Then we have the story of the little children. Jesus says to be like little children in order to enter heaven. Little children are receivers. They are not “good”. They have very little to offer.

Then there is the story of a ruler who asked what he had to do to get to heaven. Jesus says only God is good and reminds him of the law. So that means no human is good enough to get into heaven because you have to be perfect/righteous to get into heaven.

But even so, the man says he has kept the commandments. Trying to justify himself. So Jesus tells him to sell everything he has and give to the poor and follow Jesus in order to get treasure in heaven. Is Jesus’ point not that the way to get into heaven is to give away all your money but rather to show the man his heart? Because the man thinks he is good and Jesus shows him where he isn’t good? That he’d rather have earthly pleasure than Jesus? So we can’t extrapilate that we need to give up all our money to get into heaven? Because that isn’t enough. But rather, we are not able to get into heaven at all by anything that we do or don’t do?

Because then the next story is about a blind beggar. Who, like the children, is seen as having nothing to offer. He doesn’t ask Jesus to heal him based on what he has done or not done. He, like the publican, begs for mercy. Jesus heals him and tells him his faith has saved him. His faith in what? His faith in his faith? His faith in his works? Or his faith in Jesus and that Jesus could save him?

So then I am not justified by anything I do or don’t do, but I will only ever be justified by Jesus’ righteousness? Which I cannot earn. Which I can have simply by believing that He is offering it to me?

So when Jesus is telling people how to get to heaven, is it not so much a formula as if he expects them to be able to do it, but rather so that they will come to the end of themselves and realize they are woefully inadequate and lost and hopeless without His righteousness and mercy? So that they will cry out for mercy and receive salvation not by any work but because Jesus offers it for free? So then the laws drive us to The Cross or condemn us if we choose to justify ourselves?

We deserve nothing but hell so all else is only by grace? We reject Jesus when we try to justify ourselves by anything other than believing that He gives us the gift of His righteousness? That salvation is by grace alone, not any work? Not giving away our money, not keeping any law, not loving enough, etc?