One

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. (Mark 10:17–22, NIV 1984).

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. (James 2:8–11, NIV 1984).

My Musings – What is your “one thing” lacking? What is your “one point” of stumbling? You know as well as I do that each of us has more than “one thing” and more than “one point.” That is the “one thing” that Jesus is trying to make clear, the “one point” that James is trying to make clear. “One thing” or “one point” is all it takes to prevent us from “[inheriting] eternal life.”

My Advice – You might ask, who then can be saved? You are not alone. “The disciples were [also] amazed, and said to each other, ‘Who then can be saved?’ Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.’” (Mark 10:26–27, NIV 1984). It is impossible for man to not stumble. To give up things they cannot keep.

That is why Jesus came. To make the impossible (“[inheriting] eternal life.“) possible. To give up His life, so we can keep (gain) ours. To stumble under the weight of the cross He carried, to make up for all of our stumbles. The One person who “lacked [no] thing” and “kept the while law.” But only to those who believe.

Author: thebrewisamusing

I was raised in a Christian family and my earliest childhood memories include regular Sunday school and Church attendance as a family. I was taught that our Judeo-Christian values were not just a part of our Sunday routine they should be part of our character and influence all aspects of our lives. I was also taught that as important as these values were they could not save us. We must also be “born again” by accepting Christ. View all posts by thebrewisamusing