Hello and welcome. In this devotional time, we will take a look at various Bible verses and passages, considering all the while that we are approaching unto the end of the world. We understand that this is so because God has revealed from the Bible that May 21 in the year 2011 will be Judgment Day.
In light of this fact, let us today turn to the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 19. I will read verses 23 and 24. It says in Matthew 19:23-24:
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
As we consider these words of Christ, we need to realize that the whole Bible is the Word of Christ because He is the Word made flesh. The Bible says, “In the volume of the book it is written of me.” Everywhere we read in the Bible, it is Christ speaking. It is the Word of God and He is God.
In this passage, we read of Christ as He is on the earth. He entered into the human race and took upon Himself the form of a man. He became man and dwelt among us, and in this particular passage, the disciples were very interested in the idea of a rich man entering into the Kingdom of Heaven.
This is because, then as well as now, there were some misunderstandings about the nature of God’s blessings and of salvation. They assumed that if a man were wealthy, it somehow may have indicated that he was blessed of God. Certainly, physically and in an earthly sense, a man who is wealthy is blessed of God. But physical wealth, then as well as now, has nothing to do with spiritual blessings. It has nothing to do with salvation.
This is what Jesus is stating in Matthew 19:23:
…a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Then He says in Matthew 19:24:
…It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Consider this. Think about this. A camel is a very large creature. A needle is very tiny. Consider not only the size of a needle but that the thread must go through that little opening in the eye of the needle in order for the seamstress to do her sewing. Plus, you must have good eyes just in order to see this small eye of the needle, let alone take a large animal and try to pass this animal through the needle’s eye.
Sometimes people try to get around the words of Scripture by saying, “If you make camel soup, you can pour it through the needle’s eye.” But this, of course, is not what the Lord Jesus had in mind. He was picturing the full-grown camel, a very big creature, and that this would be an impossibility. It would be a complete impossibility to do this with a smaller animal like a dog or a cat, let alone to take an even larger animal like a camel and try to pass it through a needle’s eye.
The disciples understood exactly what Christ meant, because in Matthew 19:25, it says:
When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
This is discussing a rich man and Jesus is saying that it is impossible for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God, but we are not to then think that the implication in this is that a poor man is guaranteed to enter into the Kingdom of God. This is not what is in view.
As a matter of fact, the way in which the disciples understood this is that if a rich man could not enter into God’s Kingdom, then no one could. If those who the disciples assumed were the best of men could not somehow earn or work or be brought into the Kingdom of God by living a good life and having been physically blessed by God, then no one could. In other words, this was not giving encouragement to poor people that if they are poor, their poverty will somehow bring them into God’s Kingdom. No.
But then notice what we read in Matthew 19:26:
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible…
What is impossible? The disciples had asked at the end of Matthew 19:25:
…Who then can be saved?
This is what is being referred to. Is He saying then that salvation is impossible? Yes, salvation is impossible with man. Man cannot do anything, even the best of men. Even the most moral and upright and earnest and good, as far as how they stand amongst their fellowman, cannot do anything good enough or righteous enough or well enough to enter into the Kingdom of God. Jesus is stating a matter-of-fact principle that salvation—entering into Heaven—is impossible with man.
This is why it is such a sorrowful thing that so many churches teach their congregations, as well as witness to anyone whom they can witness to, “Here is what you have to do to get into Heaven.” They are putting the burden of salvation on man, “You must accept Christ. You must walk the aisle. You must say the sinner’s prayer. You must be baptized. You must partake of the Lord’s table. You must give a tithe. You must do this and you must do that.” All of this is work and none of it will enable anyone to enter into Heaven. It is impossible. Jesus says that this is impossible for man. Man cannot do it.
As the disciples asked, “Who then can be saved,” the greatest news, the most wonderful news, the most glorious news of the Gospel is what we read at the end of Matthew 19:26:
…but with God all things are possible.
You see, salvation is of the Lord. It is not of man. It is not of the will of man. It is not of the will of the flesh, as John 1 tells us. It is not “of him that willeth,” as it says in Romans 9, but it is “of God that showeth mercy.” God is the answer.
How can you be saved? God! How can you enter into Heaven? God! How can you experience eternal life? The only answer is God, and this is the greatest answer and the greatest hope that anyone could have.