How does the lawyer's question challenge our understanding of salvation through faith? Setting the Moment “On one occasion an expert in the Law stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’” (Luke 10:25) Why the Question Matters • The lawyer uses the language of achievement—“what must I do?” • His mindset reflects a works-based approach that assumes eternal life is earned through personal obedience. • By asking this in public, he hopes to evaluate (and perhaps trap) Jesus’ theology of salvation. Assumptions Exposed • The lawyer presumes that meticulous law-keeping is the pathway to life. • Scripture, however, consistently points to human inability to meet God’s perfect standard (Romans 3:20). • The gap between God’s holiness and human performance drives us to seek grace rather than merit (Galatians 3:10-11). Jesus’ Redirect • Jesus answers with, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” (Luke 10:26). • By turning the lawyer back to Scripture, He honors the Law yet exposes its deeper demand—perfect love for God and neighbor (Luke 10:27). • Jesus then replies, “You have answered correctly... Do this and you will live” (Luke 10:28). The statement is not permission for self-salvation; it’s a mirror revealing the impossibility of flawless love apart from faith. Salvation by Faith, Not by Achievement • Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith… not by works, so that no one can boast.” • Romans 4:5: “To the one who does not work but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.” • Jesus’ interaction stresses that the Law’s standard drives us toward humble dependence on Him, the only One who loved perfectly. • The subsequent parable of the Good Samaritan illustrates the loving neighbor standard none of us consistently meet, pointing again to our need for grace. Faith That Produces Action • James 2:17 reminds us that “faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” • True saving faith results in love for God and neighbor—yet those actions flow from salvation, not toward it. • The lawyer’s question inadvertently shows the order many reverse: we are saved by faith first, then empowered for works (Titus 2:11-14). Key Takeaways • The lawyer’s question reveals humanity’s instinct to earn eternal life. • Jesus uses the Law to highlight our inability and steer us to grace. • Salvation is received by faith alone, yet genuine faith naturally expresses itself in love and obedience. • Rather than asking, “What can I do?” we rest in what Christ has done—then we joyfully “go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37) through His enabling power. |
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