J.C. Ryle's Devotional Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke, Section 65, The Rule of Faith, The Summary of Duty, Luke Chapter 10, Verses 25 through 28.

And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right, this do, and thou shalt live.

We should notice in this passage the solemn question which was addressed to our Lord Jesus Christ. We're told that a certain lawyer asked him, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? The motive of this man was evidently not right. He only asked this question to test our Lord and to provoke him to say something on which his enemies might lay hold of. Yet, the question he propounded was undoubtedly one of the deepest importance. It is a question which deserves the principal attention of every man, woman, and child on earth.

We are all sinners, dying sinners, and sinners going to be judged after death. How shall our sins be pardoned? with what shall we come before God? How shall we escape the damnation of hell? Where shall we flee from the wrath to come? What must we do to be saved? These are inquiries which people of every rank ought to put to themselves, and never rest until they find an answer. It is a question which unhappily Few care to consider. Thousands are constantly inquiring, what shall we eat? What should we drink? With what should we be clothed? How can we get money? How can we enjoy ourselves? How can we prosper in the world? Few, very few, will ever give a moment's thought to the salvation of their souls. They hate the subject. It makes them uncomfortable. They turn from it and put it away.

Faithful and true is that saying of our Lord's, wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leads unto destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate, and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew chapter 7 verses 13 and 14

Let us not be ashamed of putting the lawyer's question to our own souls. Let us rather ponder it, think about it, and never be content until it fills the first place in our minds. Let us seek to have the witness of the Spirit within us that we repent truly of sin, that we have a living faith in God's mercy through Christ, and that we are really walking with God. This is the character of the heirs of eternal life. These are those who shall one day receive the kingdom prepared for the children of God.

We should notice secondly in this passage the high honor which our Lord Jesus Christ places on the Bible. He refers the lawyer at once to the scriptures as the only rule of faith and practice. He does not say in reply to his question, what does the Jewish church say about eternal life? What do the scribes and Pharisees and priests think? What is taught on the subject in the traditions of the elders? He takes a far simpler and more direct course. He sends his questioner at once to the writings of the Old Testament. What is written in the law? What do you read there? Let the principle contained in these words be one of the foundation principles of our Christianity. Let the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible, be the rule of our faith and practice. Holding this principle, we travel upon the king's highway. The road may sometimes seem narrow, and our faith may be severely tried. But we shall not be allowed greatly to err. Departing from this principle, we enter on a pathless wilderness. There's no telling what we may be led to believe or do. Forever let us bear this in mind. Here let us cast anchor. Here let us abide.

It matters nothing who says a thing in religion, whether an ancient father or a modern bishop or a learned theologian. Is it in the Bible? Can it be proved by the Bible? If not, then it's not to be believed. It matters nothing how beautiful and clever sermons or religious books may appear. Are they in the smallest degree contrary to Scripture? If they are, they are rubbish, and poison, and guides of no value. What does the Scripture say? This is the only rule and measure and gauge of religious truth. To the law and to the testimony, says Isaiah, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Isaiah chapter 8, verse 20.

We should notice lastly in this passage the clear knowledge of duty to God and man which the Jews in our Lord's time possessed. We read that the lawyer said in reply to our Lord's question, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself. That was well spoken. A clearer description of daily practical duty could not be given by the most thoroughly instructed Christian in the present day. Let not this be forgotten.

The words of the lawyer are very instructive on two points of view. They throw a strong light on two subjects about which many mistakes abound. For one thing, they show us how great were the privileges of religious knowledge which the Jews enjoyed under the Old Testament, compared to the heathen world. A nation which possessed such principles of duty as those now before us was immeasurably in advance of Greece and Rome. For another thing, the lawyers' words show us how much clear head-knowledge a person may possess while his heart is full of wickedness. Here is a man who talks of loving God with all his soul and loving his neighbor as himself while he's actually tempting Christ and trying to do him harm and anxious to justify himself and make himself out a charitable man. Let us ever beware of this kind of religion.

Clear knowledge of the head, when accompanied by determined impenitence of heart, is a most dangerous state of soul. If you know these things, said Jesus, happy are you if you do them. John chapter 13, verse 17. Let us not forget, in leaving this passage, to apply the high standard of duty which it contains to our own hearts, and to prove our own selves. Do we love God with all our heart and soul and strength and mind? Do we love our neighbor as ourselves? Where is the person who could say with perfect truth, I do? Where is the man that ought not to lay his hand on his mouth when he hears these questions? Truly, we are all guilty in this matter. The best of us, however holy we may be, come far short of perfection.

Passages like this should teach us our need of Christ's blood and righteousness. To Him we must go if we would ever stand with boldness at the bar of God. From Him we must seek grace that the love of God and man may become ruling principles of our lives. In Him we must abide, that we may not forget our principles, and that we may show the world that by them we desire to live. Yeah.