2453

(Lesson 2453)(09-02-18) Mark 10:17-25
    “And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! 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.”

   Today’s lesson, although not all that apparent to some, for those of us who have fully studied the entirety of God’s plan of salvation, is a lesson about faith. After Jesus telling the young man that in order to have eternal life, he would have to give away all of his riches. Something, of course, being human, the young man was not willing to do. It is good to remember too, that Jesus gave him that command with the foreknowledge that the young man wouldn’t be able to do it.
    The lesson about faith comes in knowing that the young man would not have actually been required to sell all that he had in order to be eternally saved, he needed only have enough faith in Jesus to be sincerely willing to do it.
    Jesus will take nothing from those who believe in Him that He won’t replace hundreds of times over.
    Attaining eternal life only requires that a lost soul have absolute and total faith in the knowledge that Jesus will redeem him/her from whatever he/she does and that the physical things we do here on earth have nothing to do with it. “Therefore being JUSTIFIED by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”. (Romans 5:1) ~