Some advice on how to understand Mark 10: 17

[HeavenlyFather...Ty]

The passage where Jesus tells the Rich man how to get into heaven and the man says hes been doing that since he was young, and then Jesus says to sell all your possessions.

I am a business student attending FAU in south florida, and someday i want to be a Director or Trade Compliance for a company. As a result, i will live "comfortably". I've come from a poor background where debt and uncomfortably is the norm. I promised myself that I would never live like this when I get older, and set my goals pretty high.

With my high goals, I also promised myself I wouldn't become obsessed with money and luxuries. I'm not the one to indulge myself in lots of luxurious items, but I would like to have a nice car and a comfortable house to live in when I'm ready to start a family.

In my head when i think about life after I reach my goals, I plan on giving to the poor, starting out reach programs, and things to give people a better life when I reach my goals and start making some good money, but at the same time, I feel it hard to sell off all my possessions after I worked so hard to obtain them.

So I need some help clearing this up. Does Jesus means not to fall in love with money and possessions? Or does he really mean, sell off all your possessions and just live off the minimal that you can live off? Help a new christian understand this passage with more clarity.

 

[RobertZ]

I wish I had an answer for you myself as I am also curious about this passage. What I will tell you however is that this passage opened my eyes to the fact that just simply repeating some "sinners prayer" one time in your life isn't salvation.

Currently I am greatly confused about grace, works, faith etc.......

 

[miss-a]

There were others who were rich to whom Jesus never mentioned selling all they had and giving to the poor. This was an individual answer to this man whose heart belonged to his riches rather than to God, as proven when the answer made him sad and he walked away from Jesus.

We are all meant to give whatever God tells us to give. Ideally, we would all be ready and willing to give it all should the Lord ever ask us to. but He does not ask that of everyone.

It is not a sin to have riches. It is only sin when they have you. We must all examine our hearts and if we find that if even in a small way our riches have us, then all we have to do is ask God to help us be free. And be free doesn't mean giving it all away for everyone. It may for some. That's up to God, not us.

But whatever condition we are in in regard to wealth, we must remember God's grace and compassion for us. He will lead us gently down whatever path He wants us on. If we are not getting it right today, He will be sure we do one day. It's important that we hear clearly from Him and not make it a works thing. It was not about works with the rich young ruler. It is always about the heart and how much of ours Jesus has access to. does that help at all?

 

[wayfaring man]

Sometimes there's a distinction between what is universally applicable and what applies to an individual.

In the case of the rich young ruler in Mark 10, Matthew 19, + Luke 18 ; his instruction from The Lord was to sell all, and give to the poor.

In another place, another rich man, Zacchaeus by name, volunteered "half of his goods" to the poor, and to restore "fourfold" anything wrongly taken from another.

To which Jesus replied,

...This day is salvation come to this house, for so much as he also is a son of Abraham. <---> Luke 19:9

Now depending on how many he had wronged and for how much, he might have needed the other half of his goods to make fourfold restitution...yet, this does appear to show that it's not about "amount" as much as it's about the spirit in which one regards their possessions and their fellow man.

One precaution also stands out - if you marry, your wife will have a lot of potential influence over how and where your finances are used...which could be a real problem, if you're not in agreement in this regard.

Hoping this is helpful to you in Christ,

wm

 

[E.C.]

The passage where Jesus tells the Rich man how to get into heaven and the man says hes been doing that since he was young, and then Jesus says to sell all your possessions.

I am a business student attending FAU in south florida, and someday i want to be a Director or Trade Compliance for a company. As a result, i will live "comfortably". I've come from a poor background where debt and uncomfortably is the norm. I promised myself that I would never live like this when I get older, and set my goals pretty high.

With my high goals, I also promised myself I wouldn't become obsessed with money and luxuries. I'm not the one to indulge myself in lots of luxurious items, but I would like to have a nice car and a comfortable house to live in when I'm ready to start a family.

In my head when i think about life after I reach my goals, I plan on giving to the poor, starting out reach programs, and things to give people a better life when I reach my goals and start making some good money, but at the same time, I feel it hard to sell off all my possessions after I worked so hard to obtain them.

So I need some help clearing this up. Does Jesus means not to fall in love with money and possessions? Or does he really mean, sell off all your possessions and just live off the minimal that you can live off? Help a new christian understand this passage with more clarity.

There is nothing wrong with using one's financial fortune to help others. In fact, it is actually commendable.

The problem that the man had was that his possessions had become the very core and center of his life when in fact, ideally, it should be Christ who is the core and center of our lives. So long as Christ is, than there is nothing wrong with having money and using it to help others.

I remember a year ago when one of our priests gave the homily on this very man. If I recall correctly our priest said that for each person there is a stumbling block that keeps us from truly being with God and that life is basically overcoming that stumbling block and staying that way. For this man, his stumbling block was his possessions and material wealth. He could not live without them. He could not part from them. In fact, in verse 22, the man leaves Christ. If that man's house caught on fire and all his possessions destroyed, than he would probably die. So, if you are blessed with wealth, a nice house, nice car, etc; and it all caught on fire and was destroyed would you die from the shock? or would you be able to move on and thank God? So long as your possessions do not become your god, than spiritually speaking that is a good place to be.

 

[Emmy]

Dear Ty. After Jesus told the young man to follow God`s Commandments, and was told that the man has been doing that sincerely, Jesus tells him that there is one more thing that he can do: he can go and sell all and follow Jesus. Jesus did not say MUST DO. Jesus felt compassion for the young man, and showed him the way to complete Joy and Peace: Follow Me." I sincerely believe that money only brings Happiness if you share it wisely. I say this with love, Ty. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[Peripatetic]

There were others who were rich to whom Jesus never mentioned selling all they had and giving to the poor. This was an individual answer to this man whose heart belonged to his riches rather than to God, as proven when the answer made him sad and he walked away from Jesus.

That's right... it's about who or what we idolize. If anything starts to come before God, we need to dethrone it. Jesus often exaggerated to make a strong point too, but we aren't to take it literally.

For example, He said that we are to hate our mother and father when saying that we shouldn't let another person be more important than God. He didn't mean it literally, or it would be in conflict with other teachings... not to mention two commandments.

 

[ezeric]

If you look at Luke 18:18 and following you will find its the same passage as Mark.
But you have this amazing contrast with Luke 19 and the story of Zacchaeus.

Its all about law and GRACE, these 2 stories are not back to back by accident.

First off, we have to realize that 'good' is also a person.
GOD is GOOD (like HE is LOVE, LIFE, TRUTH) etc...

JESUS said "no one is GOOD except GOD alone". (Luke 18:20)
Goodness is only HIM its NOT what you do, because GOOD is a PERSON!
And that person is not you or me or the things we do.

Remember what the LORD says about our goodness? - filthy rags, HE isn't
discussing our sins are like 'filthy rags' but our goodness. Isaiah 64:6

JESUS always (and still does) answer you based on who's authority or merit
you try to talk to HIM in. If you are coming to GOD, with your own merits, goodness,
and abilities, you will get the law. Because the law has a job, and that is to show
you how pathetic you are on your own, and makes you see that you are destitute
without JESUS. Its a shool master that leads you to GRACE, to JESUS. Galatians 3:24

And GRACE is not given to the healthy, (those who think they are good), no
its given to the sick. (Mark 2:17)
Those that realize they are/have nothing of value. Paul said it like this;
"In me dwells no good thing."
(Romans 7:18).

So, you have this guy (who happens to be rich), but has a coventing problem
and a self-righteous problem - because he loves his life, and what he owns
and knows (deceived) that he is very good - saying "I've kept all the commandments,
since I was a boy". (Luke 18:21)

The law breaks him, and destroys him and he walks away. We don't know
for how long, my guess is he comes back, because the law is 'working' on him,
to lead him back to CHRIST.

We could go on, because its all about law (old covenant) vs. grace (new covenant).
or otherwise stated my effort vs. the effort of JESUS!

So contrast that with Zaccheaus, who only wants JESUS (read Luke 19: 1-2).
He doesnt try to justify himself, or explain how good he is - in fact Zaccheaus knows
how wrong he is and how GOOD JESUS is! That is why he wants HIM.

When GRACE touches Zaccheaus, that love and forgiveness explodes in this
rich tax collectors heart, and out of love he willingly wants to 'give' (Luke 19:8)
1/2 of what he had to the poor.

JESUS never made him or told him to give or do anything.

But LOVE compelled him, just like it compelled Paul, and just like it will compel you.
2 Corinthians 5:14

Ready to give up your artificial pretend christian effort and throw yourself
on the one who is Righteous and Love, who will give (impute) that to you
on your behalf (actuall lavish see Ephesians 1:7,8) because of HIS amazing GRACE. Making you truly HOLY.

So, my question, is your current walk, based on you or based on HIM?

-eric

 

[HeavenlyFather...Ty]

Ok, so what I got from the replies is that its ok to be rich or wealthy and have expensive stuff as long as it doesn't come before God in a way that you would put the wealth and luxurious things over Christ.

Also, its also good if you help other people who are less fortunate then you.

Is that correct?

 

[Lindros09]

sounds rich, but always keep in mind that you don't own anything since it all comes from God. So you must be willing to give everything away if God wants it that way. Why do ou think people in other third world countries seem to have a more intimate relationship with God? It is because they don't live for anything else or have anything else interfere in heir way. The moment we begin o have a succesful life and family we begin to stra away from God little by little.

 

[ezeric]

Do you want to get rich?

Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

1 Timothy 6:9

-eric

Do we just want the 'goodies' from the LORD - or the LORD?

 

[E.C.]

Ok, so what I got from the replies is that its ok to be rich or wealthy and have expensive stuff as long as it doesn't come before God in a way that you would put the wealth and luxurious things over Christ.

Also, its also good if you help other people who are less fortunate then you.

Is that correct?

Just remember to thank God for all things; both the good and the bad.

 

[miss-a]

It sounds like you've got it, ty, and I'm sure the Lord is pleased that you care enough to ask. Just remember to check in with Him about this often. Be sure to stay close to Him, because it's easy for any of us to get pulled off course. It's not about "doing it right." It's about doing whatever we do with, and for, and as unto Him.

Blessings,
A

 

[MKJ]

One thing that strikes me is that when we have decided that the thing we want to do in life is to have enough wealth to live comfortably, and even help others, we may be putting ourselves in a trap.

What does it mean when wealth becomes our goal, rather than something that leads to wealth (say, building a really great widget?)

I also wonder, having made such a thing a personal goal, what kind of position a person would be in when faced with questionable business ethics? And would one be in a position to really criticize structural issues relating to wealth and poverty, or would the interior commitment to personal wealth tend to be blinding? (Kind of along the lines of "If I give the poor food they call me a saint, if I ask why they are poor they call me a communist.)

None of these are for-sure problems, but I think they are all spiritual maladies that it can be really easy for the rich to fall into, especially if money itself is a goal.

 

[wayfaring man]

Along the lines of this subject - the Apostle Paul was also led to write -

Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy;
That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. <-----> 1st Timothy 6:17-19

wm

 

[Mister_Al]

I think Jesus was telling the young ruler to get rid of the things that he believed/trusted in and follow Him to learn how to believe/trust in God.

Alan

 

[grayED]

Grace, works, and faith.

When you choose to trust Jesus in faith, it is His grace that saves you, and He declares you righteous. It is also His grace which helps us in good works. Works isn't a necessity for salvation, but rather a fruit of salvation.

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved."