What did Jesus tell the rich young ruler to do to inherit eternal life?
Jesus instructed the rich young ruler to keep the commandments. That answer fit the Law program written to the Jew under the Law, not the present grace age. It was not a contradiction of grace but a change in God’s program: today the message is to believe the Gospel rather than keep commandments for eternal life.
Les teaches that the rich young ruler came to Jesus asking what he must do for eternal life, and Jesus answered, “keep the commandments.” Les says that was the correct answer for that time because the Word was still written to the Jew under the Law, not to us. The confusion arises when people compare that with the grace message. Les explained to a caller that it is not a contradiction but a change of program. We are not under Law; today Jesus would not write to us to keep the commandments for eternal life. Instead, the message now is to believe the Gospel. That change in God’s modus operandi explains why the Law answer and the grace answer differ.