Mark 10:17-23 “Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" (18) So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. (19) You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'do not murder,' 'do not steal,' 'do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'honour your father and your mother.'" (20) And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth." (21) Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me." (22) But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. (23) Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!”
The above passage of scripture is an example of that exact scenario. For we see in this passage, that the young man had asked our Lord in all sincerity, what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. And so, in response to his request, our Lord revealed to this rich young ruler what he needed to do to be saved. All who come to Jesus, must be prepared to give up everything for Him (Matthew 10:37-39). That’s what it means to confess Him as Lord. However, even though Jesus expects us to be prepared to give up everything and follow Him, He seldom instructs us to physically do so. In this instance however, that’s exactly what Jesus wanted him to do, and when the young man was confronted with that truth, he walked away from it, for he deemed the cost of eternal life to be too high a price for him to pay. And so, it was not because he did not understand the word that the Lord spoke to him that caused him to reject the gospel, for he understood the Lord perfectly, but rather as an act of his free will he decided that the riches of this life was better than the gift of eternal life. In other words, this rich young ruler had been predestined for salvation, because of which, Jesus gave him understanding of the truth of the gospel. But even though this young man understood the gospel message, he chose of his own free will not to repent and act on it, and God was not going to force him to change his mind. And so, this young man is in hell today, whereas he was predestined by God to be saved and be in heaven. Jesus confirmed the truth that this man did not enter the kingdom of God, for He used this man as an example to teach us that it is hard for rich people to enter the kingdom of God.
Michael E.B. Maher
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