One Thing You Lack

The rich young ruler asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life (Mk. 10:17).  Since the Law of Moses was still in effect, Jesus told him to keep the commandments (Mk. 10:19).  These, the young man said, he had done (Mk. 10:20).  He said, “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” (Mk. 10:21).  There are some lessons for us.

First, “good” men can be lost.  Most people think all God requires is sincere belief.  Others think morality will get you to heaven.  However, the rich young ruler was both sincere and moral.  He was religious and diligently seeking to know the way to heaven, yet he was lost.  God requires sacrifice and obedience.  We must offer ourselves as living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1-2).  We must obey or be lost (Heb. 5:9).

Second, one thing can keep you out of heaven.  James said, “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all” (Jas. 2:10).  During the gospel age, the Lord requires men to believe, repent, confess Christ, and be baptized to be saved (Mk. 16:16; Acts 3:19; Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 2:38).  If you only believe, you are lost (Jn. 12:42-43; Jas. 2:24).  If you have believed, repented, and confessed, but were not baptized for the remission of sins—to be saved—you lack one thing and are lost; though sincere, moral, and religious.

That which has been is what will be,
That which is done is what will be done,
and there is nothing new under the sun.
- Ecclesiastes 1:9

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Worship In The Age of Showbusiness
By Dan Chambers