Almost everyone who hears the story of the rich young ruler finds it unsettling. After all, who among us truly feels rich? But here's the truth—when Jesus says it's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven, He isn't just talking about some wealthy elite. He is talking about you.
You might be tempted to start calculating your net worth to see if you fall into the "rich" category, but let's stop that thought right there. If you're reading this, you likely have more wealth than most people on the planet. And that makes it urgent to figure out what Jesus was getting at when He shared this lesson.
The Faith System of the Rich Young Ruler
The story begins with a young man approaching Jesus with a pressing question: "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" This question reveals the young man's mindset, which is rooted in the culture he grew up in—a culture that was all about doing things to gain rewards. His society, and particularly his religion, taught that obedience to God was directly linked to material blessings. If you were rich, it meant you had been obedient; if you were poor, it meant you had not.
This young man was rich, a ruler, and highly regarded in his community. Yet, something was missing in his life, and he hoped Jesus could fill that void. He thought eternal life was just another reward, something he could "inherit" by adding one more good deed to his resume. This was the faith system he had been sold—a transactional faith where doing good things would yield divine rewards.
Jesus' Response: A Setup for a Revelation
Jesus' response to the young man seems straightforward at first: "If you want to enter life, keep the commandments." This was exactly what the young man expected to hear, something that fits perfectly into his belief system. But Jesus was setting him up for a deeper revelation.
When the young man asked which commandments he needed to keep, Jesus listed some of the most basic ones: don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't steal, and so on. The young man confidently responded that he had kept all these since his youth. Yet, he still felt something was lacking.
And this is where the conversation takes a turn. Jesus tells him, "If you want to be complete, go, sell your possessions, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." This was a shocking statement, one that completely dismantled the young man's understanding of faith. Jesus was essentially telling him that the faith system he had lived by—one focused on earning God's favor through good deeds—was flawed. What he needed was not another reward but a relationship with Jesus.
The Hard Truth About Riches and Faith
The young man left saddened because he was very wealthy. It is here that Jesus delivers the famous line about the camel and the needle, a metaphor emphasizing how difficult it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.
But why is it so hard? Jesus wasn’t saying that wealth, in itself, is a sin. The difficulty lies in the fact that wealth often leads people to rely on their own abilities rather than on God. When you've been conditioned to believe that your material success is a sign of divine favor, it becomes incredibly difficult to let go of that belief system, even when it leaves you feeling empty.
This transactional faith—where obedience leads to rewards—can create a sense of security that's hard to relinquish, even when it fails to bring true fulfillment. The young ruler had everything according to worldly standards: wealth, status, and religious observance. Yet, he lacked the one thing that mattered most—a genuine relationship with God.
The Problem with Transactional Faith
We often fall into the same trap as the young ruler. We think that if we just do enough good things, say the right prayers, or attend church regularly, we'll earn God's favor and secure our place in heaven. But this kind of transactional faith misses the point entirely.
God isn't interested in a checklist of good deeds. What He desires is a relationship with us, a relationship that transforms us from the inside out. The Bible makes it clear that we cannot earn our way into heaven. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works so that no one can boast."
Jesus came to offer us something far more valuable than material wealth or earthly rewards. He offers us a relationship with Him, one that fills the void in our hearts and gives us true, eternal life.
What Does This Mean for You?
So, what does this story mean for you today? It challenges us to examine our own faith. Are we following Jesus because we want to be rewarded or because we truly love Him? Are we holding onto material things, thinking they are signs of God’s favor, or are we willing to let go of everything to follow Him?
The rich young ruler couldn’t bring himself to let go of his wealth. But what about you? What are you holding onto that’s keeping you from fully following Jesus? It might not be wealth; it could be your career, your reputation, or even your religious traditions. Jesus is inviting you to let go of those things and find true fulfillment in a relationship with Him.
The Kingdom of God: Not About What You Do, But About What God Has Done
Ultimately, the kingdom of God is not about what you do; it’s about what God has done. He saw the emptiness of a works-based faith and sent Jesus to bridge the gap between us and Himself. Jesus lived the perfect life we could never live and died the death we deserved so that through faith in Him, we could have eternal life.
This is the good news of the Gospel: You don’t have to earn your way to God. He has already made a way through Jesus. All you have to do is follow Him, not because you want a reward, but because you love Him and want to be with Him forever.
Conclusion: A Call to True Faith
The story of the rich young ruler is a call to examine our own faith. Are we living with a transactional mindset, or are we pursuing a genuine relationship with Jesus? The young ruler walked away from Jesus, sad and unfulfilled because he couldn’t let go of his wealth. But you don’t have to make the same choice. Jesus is inviting you to let go of whatever is holding you back and follow Him into a life of true fulfillment and eternal joy.