27th Week in Ord. Time, Monday – 4th October 2021 — Gospel: Lk 10,25-37
Law doesn’t offer Salvation
The lawyer, an expert in the teachings of the Law of Moses, was probably not sincere in his question. He was trying to trick Jesus, to put Him thoroughly to the test. Later, he sought to justify himself. To him, Jesus gave a hypothetical answer, “Do this and you will live.” At first, it appears that Jesus directed his attention to the law and was teaching salvation by law-keeping. What did the law demand? It demanded that man love the Lord supremely, and his neighbor as himself. Jesus told him that if he did this, he would live. Such was not the case. God never intended that anyone should ever be saved by keeping the law. The Ten commandments were given to people who were already sinners. The purpose of the law is not to save from sin, but to produce the knowledge of sin (Rom 3,20; 7,8). The function of the law is to show man what a guilty sinner he is. The zeal in keeping the law increases one’s confidence but it cannot ensure right conduct (Rom 10,3; Phil 3,4-9). The law is good but powerless as it does not give strength to act accordingly (Rom 1,18-2,29). It is impossible for sinful man to love God with all his heart, and his neighbor as himself. If he could do this from birth to death, he would not need salvation. He would not be lost. But even then, his reward would only be long life on earth, not eternal life in heaven. As long as he lived sinlessly, he would go on living. Eternal life is only for sinners who acknowledge their lost condition and who are saved by God’s grace.
