Question of all Questions

Matthew 19:16, “And, behold, one came and said unto Him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do,, that I may have eternal life?”

Isn’t that the question of all questions? What must I do to have eternal life? That was the earnest question of this young man who came to Jesus. I don’t know of any more important question to answer than the question that the young man asked, What must I do to have eternal life?

Matthew 19:17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. 

Remember that that is the reply of the greatest person that’s ever lived, on religious matters, Jesus Himself, and He said, If you’re going to enter into life, keep the commandments.

The Sunday-keepers who preach on the subject of what must I do to be saved, I have never heard one quote the text of Jesus, and that is, “If ye enter into life, keep the commandments.” The text that they usually turn up is Paul’s statement in Acts 16, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved.” I have never heard them turn up this verse in Matthew 19. And yet this is a strange thing that the greatest authority, when it comes to eternal life, is Jesus Himself, and He is never consulted. Jesus said, “If you’ll enter into life, keep the commandments.”

If you’ll read on there’s no question as to what commandments He’s referring to. You see, there was an argument amongst the Jews as to which commandments you had to keep, the Jewish law, the old ceremonies, or the Ten Commandments. That’s why in the next verse the young man says to Him)

Verse 18. “He said unto Him, Which?”

Which Lord? The Jewish ones, traditions, or the Ten Commandments? What did Jesus say?

Verses 18:19. “Jesus said, Thou shall do no murder, Thou shall not commit adultery, Thou shall not steal, Thou shall not bear false witness,
19. “Honor thy father and thy mother.”

Where’s He quoting from? The Ten Commandments. And so Jesus said, if you’ll enter into life, you keep the Ten Commandments. Remember this, that that’s the greatest authority on religious matters that ever walked this earth, Jesus Himself. He said, “Keep the commandments.”