The Rich Young Ruler's Idol

 The Rich Young Ruler's Idol The story in the gospels about Jesus' encounter with the rich young ruler is well known, providing many helpful lessons to Christ's disciples. We find it in Matthew 19:16-22: Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "‘You shall not murder,' ‘You shall not commit adultery,' ‘You shall not steal,' ‘You shall not bear false witness,' ‘Honor your father and your mother,' and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. (See also Mark 10:17-30; Luke 18:18-30.) This young man had a generally good attitude, seeking Jesus' advice about attaining eternal life. Seemingly sincerely, he wanted to know what he could do to, as we would say, be in God's Kingdom. Jesus' answer was simple: Keep God's commandments,referring to the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5), though "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," a summary of the last six commandments, comes from Leviticus 19:18. The young man insists that he has kept God's commandments since he was a youth, from his childhood. So, he persists, asking what is still missing from his way of life. And Jesus hits him between the eyes! "Get rid of your wealth and give itall to the poor." It was the last thing the rich young ruler wanted to hear, and he walked away desolated because he had a lot of wealth. When He saw the young ruler's reaction, "Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven'" (Matthew19:23). His statement starts us on the road to understanding why the young man had such a difficult time with His advice. So, why did our Savior tell him to sell all his goods and give the proceeds to the poor? Does Jesus Christ disapprove of wealth? Did He come just to condemn the rich and reverse the fortunes of the poor? The answer to those questions is obvious, but many still think Jesus was anti-rich. Not so. Some of the most righteous men, highly favored by God, were exceedingly wealthy. Job had one fortune wiped out when God allowed Satan to test him, and when it was over, God gave him more than he had possessed before (Job42:12). Abraham, Genesis 13:2 says, "was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold." In his position of second to Pharaoh, Joseph had access to all the wealth of Egypt. David's and Solomon's wealth are legendary. In the New Testament, Matthew writes that Joseph of Arimathea was a rich man (Matthew 27:57), and so forth. God did not require these righteous men to divest themselves of their wealth—and, as far as we know, they all died wealthy men. So, why did Christ ask it of the rich young ruler? We can find the explanation from God Himself in the book of Ezekiel: "Son of man, these men have set up [Strong's #5927, "made a high place for"] their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity. Should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them? "Therefore speak to them, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: "Everyone of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, and puts before him what causes him to stumbleinto iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him who comes, according to the multitude of his idols, that I may seize the house of Israel by their heart, because they areall estranged from Me by their idols."' "Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: "Repent, turn away from your idols, and turn your faces away from all your abominations.For anyone of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell in Israel, who separates himself from Me and sets up his idols in his heart and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, then comes to a prophet to inquire of him concerningMe, I the LORD will answer him by Myself."'" (Ezekiel 14:3-7) Notice God says in verse 5 that He will "seize the house of Israel by their heart." Given the context of idolatry and God's typical response to it among His people, God's seizing of their hearts would not be a pleasant experience. It soundslike the most agonizing of heart attacks! Although the rich young ruler failed to recognize it, his wealth, high position, and prestigious lifestyle were more important to him than serving God and attaining eternal salvation. While he did not bow down to them as to a carved idol, theywere just as much idolatries because he considered them more meaningful than God. Recall that Ezekiel 14:7 points out that idols in the heart separate us from God. Ordinarily, idols of silver and gold, wood and stone, were carved images. However, the silver and gold and the things they buy for us can become idols when we treasure and elevate them to a higher place in our hearts than we do the things ofGod. That is the point Christ was making to the rich young ruler. God knew that the hearts of the patriarchs were right with Him, so there was no need to make any disparaging comments about their wealth. In fact, their wealth was often generational, increasing with each faithful generation due to God's blessing.In the rich young ruler's case, however, God knew that his heart was not right with Him and exposed it as such. Ezekiel uses the phrase "his idols in his heart" (Ezekiel 14:7). Years ago, former President Jimmy Carter was asked if he had ever committed adultery. He answered with an allusion to Matthew 5:28: "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." He said he had only done so "in my heart," and to my ear at the time, it sounded as if he thought it of little consequence. However, Jesus frequently says that the condition of the heart can have eternal consequences (Matthew 15:16-20). Adultery is a sin, and even if it occurs only in the heart, it can still keep us from the Kingdom of God (see I Corinthians 6:9-10). Idolatry, even if "only" in the heart, is still idolatry and will separate us from God if we fail to repent of it. The point Christ is making went right over the head of the rich young ruler, but it has landed in our laps. We must ask and search ourselves if there is anything we possess or have control over that we regard more highly than serving the livingGod. He makes it clear in many scriptures that He will brook no competition from any corner of our lives. That is the essence of the first commandment: "You shall have no other gods before Me" (Exodus20:3). Jesus says in Matthew 10:37: "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me." But notice Mark 10:29-30, in which Jesus informs us about the ultimate result of that singular devotion: Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sistersand mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life. The rich young ruler did not realize that if he had taken Christ's advice, he, like Job, would have received it all back in time—with interest! Nothing we hold dear in this life is worth holding onto so much that we allow it to separate us from God. It will just cause us sorrow. So, do not be like the rich young ruler. Take Christ's advice. "Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen" (I John 5:21).