SRPC 《《 *BIBLE STUDY* 》》
Scripture for consideration & discussion
… for Sunday Sunday 13 November.
… from 10am
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The Story of the Rich Young Ruler – Matthew 19:16-30
From last week questions …
… Can one lose their salvation?
… How do I know or how am I sure about my salvation?
… we move on to the following questions posed in the story of the rich young ruler…
& even the disciples
..who all seem to be grappling with the issue of salvation and eternal life.
.
☆ Why do you call Me good?
WHAT IS THE STANDARD FOR GOODNESS ?
… Possibly back to the original at the beginning… God created and all was good.
.
☆ WHAT MUST I DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?
… Which commandments to follow
.
☆ What do I still lack?
WHERE DO I FALL SHORT OF PERFECTION?
Seems impossible!!
.
☆ WHO THEN CAN BE SAVED?
☆ Are there rewards for going through the process?
.
WHAT IS IN IT FOR ME!!??
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Sunday 13 November 2022
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Discussion Question:
What can I do?
Nothing really or Impossible…
Who then can be saved?
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The Story of the Rich Young Ruler
– Matthew 19:16-30
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We continue to interrogate the issue of salvation
… and up to this point we have basically seen that indeed
… salvation is a free gift received by grace through faith and not by works so that none may boast
.
The Story of the Rich Young Ruler in Matthew 19:16-30
… seems to be interrogating similar issues on salvation and attaining eternal life
… where one thinks they are in right standing with God in this regard
… but one is not necessarily sure
… and having been urged to make ones calling and election sure
… so as to be found at peace, holy and blameless at meeting Jesus or on His return.
.
Indeed, we are urged to
… watch over our hearts with all diligence, for out of it will flow the issues that will affect our lives (into eternity??)… Proverbs 4:23
.
One may then decide to at least go to the Word (Jesus) to interrogate ones heart & ones standing with the Lord
… for the Word is living & powerful
… & a discerner of the thoughts and intents of a deceitful heart
… searching the heart and testing the mind
… and releasing the appropriate verdict on ones true condition
.
More often that not..
… we find ourselves shockingly, like all others
… to have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God !!
… at times even doing what I don’t want to do because of the sin nature living in me!
.
Various questions would therefore arise, the main one being:
WHO THEN CAN BE SAVED?
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*《☆☆》*
WHO THEN CAN BE SAVED?
Romans 10
Galatians 3
Romans 7
Galatians 5
… among various others
… provide good insight into some of the questions that are posed in the story of the rich young ruler in Matthew 19.
.
Romans 10
… Zealous for God but not on the basis of knowledge
… Ignorant of God’s righteousness , which is by faith
… Christ is the end of the law to bring righteousness to all who believe
…but those who follow the righteousness of the law will have to live by them
.
Galatians 3
… Foolish Galatians, who has bewiched you!!
… after receiving the Spirit by hearing with faith, one reverts back to works of the law
… which puts one back under a curse
… for no one can be justified before God by the law
… because the righteous will live by faith.
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law
… for the law ( its purpose) was to act like our guardian in order to lead us to Christ so that we may be justified by faith
.
Romans 7
We need to die to the law (flesh) through the Body of Christ…
… and serve in the new way of the Spirit
… for the law brings out (exposes) the sin in me
… even able to make me do what I do not want to do because of the sin living in me …
.
But apart from the law, sin is dead
… which is walking in the way of the Spirit through Jesus Christ our Lord
.
Indeed according to
Galatians 5
… in Christ we are set free from the law
… and righteousness is gained by faith through His Spirit
… and it is faith expressed through love
… that should result in the fruit of His Spirit.
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*《☆☆☆》*
>> The standard of ‘goodness’ is God Himself.
>> There may be something to do , but first believe in Jesus Christ so that it may emanate from faith.
… for no one can be justified by the law
… thereby our righteousness is through faith
.
>> What do I still lack?
… I lack nothing so long as I am in Christ
… who fulfilled the righteous requirement of the law for us
.
>> The application of the law demonstrates the impossibility of righteousness apart from Spirit of life in Christ
… for in Christ Jesus, the law of the Spirit of life sets us free form the law of sin and death … Romans 8:2
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Therefore, the rich young ruler
… could not be justified by works of the law
… for the law merely brings awareness of sin
… for the righteous shall live by faith in Jesus Christ.
.
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God…
… and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption this is in Christ Jesus… Romans 3:20-24
.
Trying to be justified by the law…
… cuts us off from Christ and one falls away from grace…
… His sufficient grace being His power, that is perfected in our weakness…2 Corinthians 12:9
.
Galatians 2:21 NLT
- I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.
.
Christ did for us what the law could not do…Romans 8
.
Galatians 5:4 KJV
- Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
.
The law did its part of bringing the rich young ruler to Christ
… but he failed to partake of the grace of justification by faith in Jesus Christ??
.
Isaiah 45:24 NKJV
- He shall say, ‘ Surely in the LORD I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come, And all shall be ashamed Who are incensed against Him.
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*《☆☆☆☆》*
PRAYER
¤ The LORD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him
… Exodus 15:2
¤ I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God;
For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness
… Isaiah 61:10
.
… Ephesians 3:16-21
¤ I ask that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen us with power through His Spirit in our inner being so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith.
…Then we, being rooted and grounded in love, will have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth of the love of Christ,
… and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that we may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,
..to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.