There are a lot of people in the church today that would say their love for God has no limits. The Rich Young Ruler said the same thing in his encounter with Jesus. But was it true?
A ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” (Luke 18:21)
You would be hard pressed to find a statement that shouts “Limit lover!” more than this one. The ruler tells Jesus that he has kept all of the commandments from the time he was a young boy. Let’s say this young man had indeed kept all of the commandments from his youth, as he so proudly proclaimed to Jesus (which he most certainly had not; see 1 Kings 8:46), his love still had limits. When Jesus told him to sell his stuff, give to the poor, and follow Him, it placed far too much demand on the young ruler and exposed his heart and the limits he had placed on his love of God. His love found its limits when it came to his stuff.
Being a “no limit lover” is not easy, but it is possible by the power of the Gospel and the fruit of the Spirit. You see, the Gospel frees us from bondage to the stuff of this world so we can give our heart—all of our heart—to our Savior.
Here are two marks that characterize “limit lovers” like the young ruler:
1. Unconditional Loving – when forced to choose between his love for Jesus and his possessions, the young ruler showed his true colors. His love for Jesus was conditional; he would love his Savior with no limits . . . just as long as he could keep his stuff too!
2. Sacrificial Giving – when forced to choose between his possessions and the Prince of Peace and the poor of this world, his true colors beamed brightly once again. His love for Jesus and those Jesus loved was conditional; he would love just as long as it did not hurt, inconvenience, or deprive him of the stuff of this world.
So . . . do you have any limits on your love for your Lord? Is there something you are holding on to more tightly than Jesus? Is there something you believe you simply cannot live without that is smaller than God?
Or maybe you truly are a “no limit lover.” Do you love unconditionally, regardless of the cost or circumstance? Do you give sacrificially until it hurts, disrupts your style of living, or moves you out of your zone of comfort? No limit lovers of the Lord Jesus Christ are ready, willing, and able to sacrifice all for Him. They could never be confused with those who are said to be “lukewarm” in their love for Jesus . . . those who have one foot in the world and one foot in the Word . . . those who have divided their affections between their Savior and their stuff. No limit lovers live out the truth of the two greatest commandments.
“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.
(Mark 12:30-31)
Do you see that the rich young ruler broke the very first commandment by making his possessions his god and greatest goal in life? The key to being a “no limit lover” of the Lord is to keep the fact before you that you are a great sinner in need of an even greater Savior, and His name is Jesus Christ. And instead of giving sinners what they deserve—hell—He purchased us with His precious blood and gave us . . . heaven!
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 