Thought for Today
Numbers 23:26 But Balaam answered Balak, "Did I not tell you, 'Whatever the LORD says, that is what I must do'?"
Micah 6:8 He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Luke 10:25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
Luke 18:18 A certain ruler asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
The lawyer and the ruler asked a seemingly simple question, “What must I do?” Obviously, it was not a new question. Equally obviously, the answer itself was not the problem. Micah was not even the first to offer the answer. The problem with the answer is that it is not the answer we really want to hear.
The question and the answer are inherent in the story of Cain and Abel. “Genesis 4:3 In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel for his part brought of the firstlings of his flock, their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.” When God asked Cain, “6 ‘Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen?,’” God told Cain, “7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it."
Have you ever wondered what our world might be like today had Cain talked to God a bit more about just what it meant to “do well?” Evidently, Cain did not want to hear God’s answer. Instead, “8 Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘Let us go out to the field.’ And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him.”
Was Micah thinking about Cain and Abel when he wrote chapter 6? Read that chapter of Micah. It is essentially a diatribe against the entire sacrificial system that was the basis of much of the Hebrew worship. Micah never had the opportunity to read the epistles of Paul, but Micah would have certainly agreed with, “Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—”
Where are we today in terms of this long-standing question? How do we understand “What must I do” in terms of offering sacrifices, in terms of gaining our own salvation? Few religions today practice the elaborate system of sacrifices of our ancestors. Virgins are no longer thrown into volcanoes to appease the gods. Firstborn sons are no longer sacrificed to enlist the aid of the gods of war.
So, what is it that we do “to inherit eternal life?” Is there anything we can do “to inherit eternal life?” Some focus on Jesus’ answer to that “certain ruler.” “Luke 18:22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, ‘There is still one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’" Some suggest that only by foregoing all material wealth can we “inherit eternal life.”
One of the deceptive ‘rabbit trails’ we sometimes pursue is the condemnation of material wealth. There is nothing salvific in poverty. Jesus never said wealth, in and of itself, is an impediment to salvation. Jesus did say, "Matthew 19:23 Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."
It can be hard to find a life-balance between material wealth and spiritual wealth. Jesus was correct, “Luke 16:13 No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth." What we often fail to note, however, is that 4-letter word, “serve.”
Many years ago our minister in Houston preached a sermon about that 4-letter word. He suggested that we examine our lives to see where we invest our resources of time, energy and finances. I still remember that sermon; I still examine my own life to evaluate whether I own my possessions or whether they own me. What does my own life say about which ‘master’ I serve? Do I serve God or do I serve wealth? I want my life to echo the words of Joshua, “Joshua 24:15 as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
Stay safe, serve God, trust God,
Pastor Ray