BEN F. VICK, JR.
Perhaps the young man saw Jesus holding and blessing the little children and was hoping he, too, would get a favorable response from him. Regardless, the rich young ruler ran to him, kneeled before him, and inquired, “Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God.” Whether or not the young man realized it, he admitted that Jesus Christ is God. Since no one is good in the purest sense of the word but God, and Jesus was not denying that he was good, then Jesus Christ is God.
The young man went to the right source for his question. He ran to Jesus. Too many go to the wrong sources to find answers to spiritual needs. They may go to their parents or their preacher for the answers. They may or may not give the correct answers. They may turn to cults or other false religions. Jeremiah wrote, “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.” (Jer.10:23.) Naaman initially went to the Jehoram, the king of Israel, the wrong source, to be healed of his leprosy when he should have gone to Elisha, the prophet (2 Kings 5:1-14). Concerning matters of life and godliness, we must run to Jesus, who speaks to us through his word today (Heb. 1:1-3; 2 Peter 1:3).
The man, believed to be about the age of Jesus, was respectful. When he came to Jesus, he kneeled to him (Mark 10:14). We live in a world of irreverence. People take the Lord’s name in vain and think little of it. Even children are heard speaking the Lord’s name in vain. In the early days of the Mosaical Age, the son of an Israelite woman blasphemed the name of the Lord and cursed. He was taken out and stoned as the Lord commanded. The Psalmist said of the Lord, “holy and reverend is his name.” (Psa. 111:9.) Jesus said to pray in this manner: “Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.” Again, the Psalmist wrote, “O come, let us worship and bow down: Let us kneel before the Lord our maker.” (Psalm 95:6.)
The rich young ruler asked, “Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” (Matt. 19:16.) Jesus said, “…if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” (Matt. 19:17.) It is the greatest question that one can ask. He was asking what he needed to do to enter that life, eternal life, that Jesus came to give (John 10:10). He, as well as Jesus, recognized that there was something he needed to do: Keep the commandments. Jesus enumerated the last six of the ten, putting the fifth one, Honor thy father and mother, last.
The man said, “Master, all these have I observed from my youth.” How commendable! The Preacher said, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.” (Ecc.12:1.) Paul exhorted Timothy, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” (1 Tim. 4:12.) It is commendable that the young man had observed all of these commandments.
He then asked Jesus, “What lack I yet?” Mark records, “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.” (Mark 10:21.) We are then read that the rich young ruler “was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.” It was amazing that the man had only one thing that stood in his way of entering eternal life, but that one thing would keep him out of heaven. I have known of individuals with whom I have studied the Bible who allowed one thing to keep them from obeying the gospel. It was an unscriptural marriage, a bad habit, ties to a loved one who led them down the wrong path, and many other things that stood in their way. However, in another place, Jesus said, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matt. 16:26.) This life will end; eternity is endless.
Jesus loved the young man, but when he turned and walked away, Jesus did not go after him. He did not apologize for the truth. He did not compromise the truth, or as what used to be said, he did not soft-soap the truth. He loved him but told him the truth. Telling another the truth does not mean one does not love the individual. I once visited a young couple who had visited our services several times. The young lady said they did not want to come to services here because they felt so down after the services. I have had people get angry with me for the truth preached. I have tried to be retrospective about the lessons I have preached. There is a need for balance (2 Tim. 4:2-3). The one thing that stood in the young man’s life of going to heaven was his possessions. Jesus said, “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” (Luke 12:15.) Who was to blame for the young man’s departure from the presence of Jesus? Was Jesus to be blamed? Certainly not! He told the man what he needed to hear. We need to preach the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:26-27). Let the chips fall where they may.
Question: Is there one thing that you lack?