Q: In Matthew 19:16-19, Jesus clearly says that salvation depends only on "keeping the commandments." Isnt this a blatant contradiction with other statements in the New Testament such as Ephesians 2:8-9, to the effect that one is saved by grace through faith, not as a result of works?
A: No; the means of salvation that Jesus mentions here still works, in theory: if a person keeps all of Gods commandments, he will be saved. The way of forgiveness is for those who have sins -- trespasses against Gods commandments -- to be forgiven; thats who needs to rely faithfully on God to provide an unmerited payment for sins. (Btw, the SAB misrepresents Jesus statement when it says that Jesus clearly says that salvation depends only on keeping the commandments.)
(The announcement that one needs to keep the commandments in order to enter into life would elicit in most Jewish men of the first century a second question: is there any /other/ way to enter life? But in the case of the rich young ruler, who seems not to have contemplated his actions very thoroughly, the response was different. But as he insisted that he had kept the commandments, he also sensed that something was missing.)
Also, Jesus statement is technically not a direct salvation-in-exchange-for-obedience equation; strictly speaking it only infers that those who desire to enter into life ought to keep the commandments.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
A: No; the means of salvation that Jesus mentions here still works, in theory: if a person keeps all of Gods commandments, he will be saved. The way of forgiveness is for those who have sins -- trespasses against Gods commandments -- to be forgiven; thats who needs to rely faithfully on God to provide an unmerited payment for sins. (Btw, the SAB misrepresents Jesus statement when it says that Jesus clearly says that salvation depends only on keeping the commandments.)
(The announcement that one needs to keep the commandments in order to enter into life would elicit in most Jewish men of the first century a second question: is there any /other/ way to enter life? But in the case of the rich young ruler, who seems not to have contemplated his actions very thoroughly, the response was different. But as he insisted that he had kept the commandments, he also sensed that something was missing.)
Also, Jesus statement is technically not a direct salvation-in-exchange-for-obedience equation; strictly speaking it only infers that those who desire to enter into life ought to keep the commandments.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
