“One thing thou lackest…” Jesus said to the rich young ruler who asked Him what he must do to inherit eternal life. There are a couple things I’ve learned in these accounts in Matt. 19:16-22; Mark 10:17-22; & Luke 18:18-23.
First, Jesus didn’t mention the 1st commandment, “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” Instead, Jesus gave him something very specific to do, that proved that this man was not keeping that 1st commandment. I’m not sure what this man’s answer would have been, if Jesus had asked him about him about having no other gods before the Lord, but I do know that it can be fairly easy to answer “Yes” to general questions like, “Do you want to go all the way with the Lord?”, or “Is Jesus the lord of your life?”. The Lord, however, has a way of cutting right to the heart, when He gives us very specific things to change in our lives, often requiring sacrifice, or relating to our dealings with others, or nailing unrecognized pride.
The 2nd is that Jesus did not say that there was ONLY one thing the man lacked, as though a single act of selling everything and giving to the poor would immediately launch him across the finish line. But there was one thing he lacked at that point in his life, in order to take the next step on the way to inherit eternal life, or be perfect. If the young man had said “Yes” to that step, he could have gone on to the next step, or the next “one thing you lack”. At any step along the way, a person can stop, say “No” to the Lord, walk away sorrowful, and never have an opportunity to know what the next step would opened up for joy, and blessings, and fruitfulness, and eternal glory. “Let us go on unto perfection”. [Hebrews 6:1 KJV]
First, Jesus didn’t mention the 1st commandment, “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” Instead, Jesus gave him something very specific to do, that proved that this man was not keeping that 1st commandment. I’m not sure what this man’s answer would have been, if Jesus had asked him about him about having no other gods before the Lord, but I do know that it can be fairly easy to answer “Yes” to general questions like, “Do you want to go all the way with the Lord?”, or “Is Jesus the lord of your life?”. The Lord, however, has a way of cutting right to the heart, when He gives us very specific things to change in our lives, often requiring sacrifice, or relating to our dealings with others, or nailing unrecognized pride.
The 2nd is that Jesus did not say that there was ONLY one thing the man lacked, as though a single act of selling everything and giving to the poor would immediately launch him across the finish line. But there was one thing he lacked at that point in his life, in order to take the next step on the way to inherit eternal life, or be perfect. If the young man had said “Yes” to that step, he could have gone on to the next step, or the next “one thing you lack”. At any step along the way, a person can stop, say “No” to the Lord, walk away sorrowful, and never have an opportunity to know what the next step would opened up for joy, and blessings, and fruitfulness, and eternal glory. “Let us go on unto perfection”. [Hebrews 6:1 KJV]
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