THE PARABLE OF THE WORKERS IN THE VINEYARD

• Law and faith are fundamentally different. Faith receives eternal life as God’s gift, while the law promises life only to those who perfectly obey its commands. Since no one can do so consistently, the law results in death and condemnation. This was the lesson Jesus sought to teach the rich young man (Matthew 19:16-30; 20:1-16, Galatians3:11-12).
• In seeking justification by the law, the young man failed to keep its foremost command: to have no god but God. He did not understand that the law demands perfect obedience in every respect. Salvation,
  however, cannot be earned by works but is received by grace through faith (Matthew 19:22).
• The young man was enslaved by mammon, his true god. Despite his outward religiosity and apparent obedience, his heart was not devoted to God. H e l a c k ed the l o v e and surrender required to forsake
  all and follow Him.
• The most critical lesson of this story is that the young man sought a life he was unwilling to sacrifice for. He desired eternal life, but not at the cost of complete surrender (Matthew 19:22, MSG).

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