The Rich Young Man Entering the Kingdom

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richesCherry picking God's Word is definitely faulty, yet it seems impossible for me to apply God's Word in its entirety. For instance, the Bible tells me not to covet but "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:24). I continuously fail in fulfilling this matter of not coveting. So what then shall I do?

There is a particular fellowship from one of the Christians on Campus gatherings that has greatly helped me. I can't remember exactly which gathering but at that time, one of the speakers mentioned about the passage of a rich young man trying to enter into the kingdom in Matthew 19 (please read Matthew 19:16-26 for context).

This rich young man asked the Lord what good deed he must do to have eternal life. The Lord pointed out that there is only One that is good and that if he would enter into this life, he should keep all the commandments. Afterward the Lord showed him which commandment he should do, to sell his possessions and give them to the poor, but then the rich young man went away in sorrow because he had great possessions. 

The implication of the Lord's response highlights the fact that the rich young man can never be and do good, only God is goodness Himself, and that he can never keep all the commandments. However, this account does not stop here at the dead end of impossibility. The verses (Matthew 19:25-26) following this interaction between the Lord and the rich young man are very enlightening indeed:
"When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, 'Who then can be saved?' But Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'"
Actually the Lord knew very well that the rich young man would not be able to fulfill all God's commandments. Jesus said, "With man this is impossible,..." So then what was the main problem with this rich young man?

The Lord didn't stop with the impossibility, He specifically showed all of us the way, "... but with God all things are possible." The main problem was the rich young man did not stay with the Lord, with God, in whom all things are possible! He gave up and left.

The Lord knows that I cannot entirely fulfill God's Word. The Lord knows that, in myself, I have no strength to follow and say "Amen" to everything that He has spoken to me. He knows yet He never give up on me. He is always there ready to be the supply, the strength, for me to say "Amen." All He wants me to do is just to say "Amen," agreeing with His Word, confess that I cannot, but then stay with Him and open to Him, letting Him be the One who can within me. The answer to Romans 7:24 is actually the next verse, Romans 7:25, which begins with:
"Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

Comments

  1. AnonymousNovember 30, 2011 at 3:44 PM

    I've always loved this story and its implications. Just stay with Him!

    ReplyDelete
  2. KatherineDecember 2, 2011 at 10:48 AM

    Thanks for following my post, Kyle. Yes, this is the only solution for our hopeless case, isn't it?

    ReplyDelete

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