- Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” Note that Jesus is not lowering the standard necessary for salvation but saying that God can accomplish it even if man couldn’t. What do you think? Does this make it easy or hard?
I think it makes it hard; it is so hard that only God can accomplish it. The modern approach to this is that we don’t even try then but I don’t think that is right. We must seriously desire to be saved even though it is impossible, and God will make it possible.
- Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!” Peter pointed out that the disciples actually met the conditions. It is not impossible. Do you think that this means that all who wish to have eternal life must do likewise? If not, why not?
As I said, we must desire and seek after rather than relax and focus on other matters thinking that salvation will automatically come to us. It is, of course, impossible even though Peter and gang have left everything but God met the faith they expressed and opened the way through Christ.
- “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.” Looking at what Jesus says in a broader context, there is leaving something that has shaped or anchored your life, for the expressed purpose of responding to God, and there is the response of God to bless that faith in this life as well as the next. Putting it in your own words, how do you understand Jesus’ declaration?
It makes sense. Jesus is merely saying that our sacrifice and our faith has meaning and value to God and he will respond, never fear. This is not salvation by works but as James said, does faith that has no concrete expression, no cost, no value, only words; does such faith have any real worth in God’s eyes? We are so caught up in the “salvation not by works but by faith” that we misunderstand that faith does not need to have substance.
- How would your understanding of Jesus’ promise here shape your own journey with him?
All the more I want to stand on his words and discover their truth and impact. It is wonderful to know that my reward is also in this age. I am praying more boldly believing that my prayers have real impact.