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By Neal Griffin
Salvation is, without a doubt, the very most important quest of all sober thinkers, and to a floundering blind man adrift in a raging current, it is the only pursuit worthy of consideration. The roar of the rapids below is announcing the end. He knows that the waves are lurking to swallow him up in immediate death if he quits. His physical resources are taxed to the limit, but he struggles on, miserable man that he is. He is aware of his hopeless state. He knows that salvation is out of reach. If he tries to swim toward shore the current rolls him over. There is no escape. There is no hope. In desperation the wretched one cries out, "who can deliver me?"
The picture that I am trying to paint is that of the fertile soil of Matthew thirteen. It is the picture of a prepared heart ready to receive the engrafted Word. It is a picture of the humble soul of Matthew, chapter five, with the broken spirit who needs comfort. It is the picture of the wretched man of Romans, chapter seven. The songwriter understood this picture when he wrote, "The Seed though sown in darkest hour will one day bloom and bear". This Seed cannot be sown in a proud, self reliant heart. The rich young ruler of Matthew, chapter nineteen, had such a heart. He came seeking to know "what good thing HE could do to GAIN salvation". If the Holy Spirit has granted me any understanding at all, it is the message from this pitiful story, and that message is that man cannot do anything to "gain" (accomplish) salvation. This accomplishment is reserved unto God. It is not accomplished by human effort. Ephesians 2:9. Jesus stated His position on this vital issue. How many times must we be told, before we believe it, that salvation is of God? Matthew 19:26, Acts 28:28, Jonah 2:9, and Job 13:16 attest to the truth of it. If these are not enough to prove the point, there are at least thirty-five Old Testament references which attest to it, and if those are not enough, then thirty-five thousand saints raised from the grave could not make us believe it.
Enthusiastic seekers, today, are asking the same, fault filled, question that the rich ruler asked, and the answer from God and from John, the baptizer, is the same today as it was then: Bring hearts prepared to receive the Word. Bring good soil prepared to receive the Seed that will bloom and bear. The tragedy is that they are not being given these answers. Instead, they are being given a formula by which they can achieve (gain) salvation, and they are given continual assurances that, as long as they remain in "fellowship" with the framers of this formula, they are guaranteed salvation. The rich ruler would have been thrilled to receive such a formula. Law keeping was his forte. He had been weaned on the law. But, he went away sorrowful. Why? At the feet of The Master he stood for instruction in righteousness and he went away sorrowful. How could he? He was in a position to receive water which would free him forever of thirst, but he went away thirsty. How can this be? He went away sorrowful because he did not receive the answer he wanted. He went away sorrowful because he asked the wrong question. He went away sorrowful because his heart was not prepared to receive the Good Seed.
Tragically, men and women are asking the same question today, and tragically, instead of going away sorrowful, they are going away rejoicing that they have found a formula by which they can "gain" salvation. How can this be?
The question remains. The question, that Peter and the others asked, remains: "Who then can be saved?" And the answer remains the same as it was then, and that is that all who bring a penitent, prepared heart can be saved. Bring a believing, trusting heart and leave the saving to God. Salvation is of God. It is a free gift from Him. Unlike the rich ruler, bring a heart that is so desperate that it will entrust all of its riches to Jesus and then, unlike the rich ruler, follow Him.
Please think on these things. I believe them to be true to the Word.
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