WORTHY OF ETERNAL LIFE

…those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead...

Luke 20:35

 Is anyone worthy to attain eternal life? The answer depends on how one attains his worthiness. In Luke 20, Jesus is responding to Sadducees who came to Him for the purpose of trapping Him with their question. Jesus cannot be cornered by these men. He calmly responds with a brilliant answer, that not only shuts their mouths, but provides many other instructions for those who have ears to hear. 

I wonder if anyone who was listening to this exchange keyed in on the phrase ‘considered worthy to attain…’? Is there anyone worthy to attain eternal life? Earlier when a young man asked Jesus what he must do in order to inherit eternal life (Luke 18:18), Jesus pointed to his sin problem, even though he was blinded to its reality. The truth is, because of sin, there is no one who is ‘worthy to attain’ eternal life. 

This is where the incredible news of the gospel has the answer. As Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” No one is worthy on their own; but because of Christ we are able to be declared righteous and be guaranteed a home with God forever. We do not attain worth on our own merit or by our own efforts. We are able to be considered worthy because of what Christ has accomplished for us. Are you resting and rejoicing in the fact that God has made you worthy of eternal life? 

Joshua Steiner