Barriers (Part 1) Today's Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: Barriers (Part 1)------------------------------------ Date: 12/18/2000 Keywords: "do" "good" "inherit" Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. Passage: Mark 10:17-22* 17. And as He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and began asking Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" 18. And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. 19. "You know the commandments, 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'" 20.  And he said to Him, "Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up." 21. And looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." 22. But at these words his face fell, and he went away grieved, for he was one who owned much property. Questions 1. How would you size up your life in general? Is it pretty good except (maybe) for that little pornography thing?   2. Do the "good things" in your life make up for the "not so good" things?   Practical help Today's passage is the story of the rich young man. Read the whole passage, and today we'll focus on verses 17 and 18. Are there any clues in verse 17 to how this young man was operating his life? He seemed to be aware that Jesus and his teachings were something he should seek. He certainly gave Jesus honor and respect by kneeling before him and calling him "Good Teacher." The first clue is the one Jesus responds to immediately — "Why do you call Me good?" This man's philosophy of life was based on relative "goodness." He had probably heard by reputation that Jesus was a "good" man and that there were things about "goodness" to be learned from him. Jesus followed with the truth about "goodness," and it flew right over his head: "No one is good except God alone." In other words, if the game is "goodness," don't even bother playing cause you ain't gonna win. The second clue is how the young man expects to appropriate eternal life. What shall I do to inherit eternal life? He wasn't even coming to Jesus with the possibility that his philosophy was screwed up. He just wanted some new technique, some new way to demonstrate that, relatively speaking, he was darn good. Do you feel like most of your life, except for that little pornography thing, is in pretty good shape? If it's in pretty good shape, why do you feel "not so good" right after indulging in a little pornography? eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 2000 by eXXit *"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission."