How Can I Inherit Eternal Life?

Today's reading is found in Luke 10:25-42. The story begins with an expert of the law approaching Jesus to find out what had to be done in order to inherit eternal life. Jesus asked this expert what was contained in the Law and how did he understand it. The man replied, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind.' They also say, `Love your neighbors as much as you love yourself.'" Then Jesus simply told him to do those things to inherit eternal life. Jesus was not trying to say that our righteousness will get us to heaven. He was trying to point out the impossibility of doing these things without having accepted Him as Savior.

The young man seemed to understand this was a tough request. So he tried to make himself look pious when he asked again, "Who are my neighbors?" The young man wanted to see if Jesus would offer a minimum degree of obedience. But Jesus is more interested in COMPLETE obedience! Jesus said that the man was jumped by robbers and no one stopped to help. The priest simply walked onto the other side of the road when he saw the man. The temple helper saw the beaten man, but he did not do anything to help either. He just went on his way.

Finally, a Samaritan man walked by and he felt sorry for the man who had been attacked! This was strange because Samaritans and Israelites did not have a good relationship. They hated each other to death. But here's this Samaritan helping the wounded man: He treated the wounds and bandaged them, he put the man on his donkey and went to an inn, and he paid the innkeeper enough to care for the man. He was even willing to return later and pay off any further debts that the wounded man may have incurred. That's obedience!!!

Today I've learned that God is not interested in minimum degrees of obedience. There's not such thing in His sight. Why do we call Him Lord if we don't want to fully obey Him? Why do we call Him God if we consider our thoughts greater than His own? It's time we learn to love those whom we consider unlovable and worthless. It's time we set aside our differences from the past and start living a new present. Otherwise, how can we even think about inheriting eternal life?