🕊️ WHO THEN CAN BE SAVED?

(Matthew 19:16–30 KJV)

“When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”

— Matthew 19:25–26 (KJV)

💭 The Question That Shakes Every Soul

The cry, “Who then can be saved?” is not a casual question — it is the echo of every heart that has ever stood before the holiness of God and realized the weakness of man.

The rich young ruler came to Jesus with a question many still ask today:

“Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?”

His question was sincere, but his approach was flawed — he was trying to do what could only be received by grace.

Salvation is not a transaction of merit; it is a transformation by mercy.

⚖️ The Test of Obedience

Jesus answered by listing commandments that measured the man’s moral life — murder, adultery, theft, lies, honour, and love.

The young man confidently replied, “All these things have I kept from my youth up.”

Yet, Jesus looked deeper. He didn’t question the man’s morality — He exposed his mastery. The issue was not money, but who ruled his heart.

“If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor… and come and follow me.”

— Matthew 19:21 (KJV)

Salvation always comes with a call to follow, not just to comply.

The young man’s wealth became his wall. He wanted eternal life, but he did not want eternal Lordship. He wanted salvation without surrender.

He went away sorrowful — not because he didn’t understand, but because he couldn’t let go.

🧵 The Eye of the Needle

Jesus turned to His disciples and said:

“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”

This was a shocking statement — not because riches are evil, but because self-sufficiency blinds us to our need for grace.

The disciples were astonished because, in Jewish thought, wealth was often seen as a sign of divine favour. So they asked, “Who then can be saved?”

And here lies the gospel’s beating heart:

“With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”

— Matthew 19:26 (KJV)

Salvation is God’s miracle, not man’s achievement.

💡 Grace: The Great Equalizer

Paul echoes this truth in Ephesians 2:8–9 (AMPC):

“For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved through faith… it is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.”

The kingdom of God is not a place for the self-made but the grace-made.

Peter quickly reminded Jesus, “We have forsaken all and followed Thee.” And Jesus assured them that their sacrifices were seen and would be rewarded a hundredfold.

But He closed with a divine paradox:

“Many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.”

This means salvation rearranges human order — prideful hearts are humbled, and humble hearts are exalted.

🔥 The Real Test of Salvation

Salvation is not proven by how much we know, give, or achieve — but by who we follow and what we’re willing to leave behind.

When Christ calls, He doesn’t just invite us to a new belief system — He summons us into a new life of absolute dependence on Him.

Jesus isn’t trying to make it hard to be saved; He’s making it clear that it’s impossible without Him.

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”