Recall that Jesus said that He and the Father would agape (God-level love) only those who obey the Law (Jn. 14:21,23). One must agape Them and receive agape from them in order to inherit eternal life. One’s agape of the Godhead must be proven. Jesus said that the only way to prove ones agape for Father and Son is to obey all ten of Their commandments, including #4–Their Sabbath commandment. Now let us return to the story of Jesus and the rich man to see how the Lord answered the desperate man’s eternity-determining question: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

In Mark 10, beginning with verse 21, Jesus provides the answer for all men for all time. Having learned that he obeyed the Ten Commandments (the summation of the Law), Jesus, along with the Father, (then) loved him (Jn. 14:21,23). The Lord then told the desperate man that he had to do five things in order to qualify for salvation. Five acts (works) had to be performed in order to get rid of sin (become holy) and stay holy (free of sin) throughout the remainder of his life (Mat. 10:22). Work #1–“Go your way.” He had to return to the cause of his sin (stuff) and face it. He would also have to face his  wife, children, friends, extended family, fellow Temple attendees, etc. who would be affected by what he would have to do. Work #2–“sell what you have.” Everything had to go. No “leaven” could be allowed in his new life. Work #3–“give (his stuff) to the poor.” This would make him poorer than those he once looked down on throughout his life. Works #1-3 would prepare the salvation seeker for works #4,5. Number #4–“take up your cross.” God promises that “All who will live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12). “Through much tribulation we must enter the Kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). The rejection, and often hatred, coming from one’s family and friends is the cross one must bear for obeying God. This is an humbling work as one goes from “the penthouse to the outhouse” spiritually speaking. Work #5–“follow Me.” The word “follow” is all-inclusive. It means to “walk as He (Jesus) walked” (1 Jn. 2:6), to “purify oneself even as He is pure” (1 Jn. 3:3), to “… overcome (Satan) even as I (Jesus) overcame (him) ….” (Rev. 3:21). In summary, to inherit salvation the man would have to change everything about his life–his thoughts, words, acts, friends, where he went, who he went there with, etc.

Note that Jesus did not tell him that doing those five things would save him. To the contrary, the completion of those works would only make him eligible for salvation. Because he had obeyed the Law since childhood there was no need to remind him of that requirement. Continued obedience to the Law after completing the five works would render him holy–without sin. However, he would have to remain in holiness until the end of his life in order to be saved/born again at the return of Christ to the earth (Mat. 10:22). Note that Jesus did not tell him that, due to Adam’s sin-transferal miracle, he would have no choice but to sin. But he was not to worry about sin in that repentance would clear him of the sin. With each inevitable sin he would need to repeat the ritual, thereby maintaining his good relationship with the Godhead. The sin-repent cycle would be routinely performed until the end of his life, at which time Jesus would give him one final cleansing before handing him the keys to his heavenly mansion. This process is “Bible truth” only in the minds of Catholics and Protestants. It is not found in the Holy Scriptures.

In Philippians 2:12 the Lord says that we are to “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” This does not mean that we are allowed to decide what we need do in order to be saved. Rather, it means to fear and tremble while searching the Scriptures to determine God’s will and, upon determining it, fear and tremble while doing it. The man Jesus had to meet those same requirements in order to complete His assignment. It is written that “He was heard (by God) because He feared” (Heb. 5:7). Only those who follow His example will sit with him on His throne where they will rule the world for 1000 years, then rule the universe forever. L.J.