The Danger of Abundance

Today's Three-minute Bible Study
Print, Study and Apply

Title: The Danger of Abundance ------------------- Date: 7/18/2003
Keywords: “abundance” “heaven” “sin” “wealth”
Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation.

Passage: Mark 10:17-22*

17. 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,' 'Honor 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.

Questions

1. To allow sin into heaven would contaminate heaven and destroy the basis on which it was created by God. Since you have failed (sinned) in many areas of your life, on what grounds do you plan to stand before a holy God and justify your admittance?

 

2. Why did Jesus love the man in today's study?

 

Practical help

He was bright. If he had lived today, I'm sure he would have been a computer wiz. Notice how when Jesus asked him why he called Jesus "good," he modified his next response to simply exclude the term. Obviously he listens well and makes adjustments in order to adapt to his environment.

He was young and he was rich. But he wanted to take out an insurance policy — just incase… So he went to Jesus and asked Him what it would take to parley his accumulated wealth and refined sophisticated talents into a guarantee on a few acres of heaven.

Do you know what the most astonishing statement in the whole story is? To me it's in verse 21. "Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him…" Why? Perhaps for the same reason He loves you and me. We are all schemers. We all want to manipulate God and others in order to make our own lives easier, yet Jesus loves us? How do I know? I believe Romans 5:8 —

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
Unfortunately, even though Jesus loves all of us who live under the sun, only a few respond to that love by accepting His free gift. Those who don't accept Jesus' offer aren't coerced and aren't given a free pass later.

If you are on this site looking for help with a porn problem, yet you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your savior, then I believe you have gotten the proverbial cart before the horse. Without Jesus living within you to empower you to live a life filled with love, joy, peace, purity and other blessings is not possible.

Jesus didn't bargain with the man when he turned to leave. He didn't call him back and renegotiate the terms. It's the same with all of us. We come to Him on His terms, not our own.

Need more info? Click here.
eXXit homepage
Index of three-minute studies
Copyright 2003 by eXXit
*"Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. "