Eliminating Those Things That Hold You Back

Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said

 unto him, One thing thou lackest: 

go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, 

and give to the poor, and thou shalt 

have treasure in heaven: and come, 

take up the cross, and follow Me.

Mark 10:21 

     The Greek word translated "beholding" means to be looking upon him, so do not make and spiritual connotation meaning for the Greek word "ἠγάπησεν" means not just
"love" rather the meaning is better to be understood that to set stare upon, or to love in a social or moral sense and as an aorist word it simply means that at a time Jesus "love", stared at, or discerned, this young ruler who approach Jesus to be a follower of Jesus.

     The young ruler had the passion to be perfect and this is the case for far too many people coming to Christianity. They want the "good" things Jesus may give, even to be like Him. Well, here is a problem: Jesus Christ never puts personal holiness to the fore when He calls a disciple. Here is the "rub" and this is what many people do not want for themselves: to annihilate all rights to themselves and to be completely identified with Jesus Christ. Here is the only "right" a person has if they are to be a follower of Jesus Christ: A personal relationship with Him and to have no other relationship ahead of Him. This relationship has nothing to do with sanctification, or salvation, but is an unconditional identification with Jesus Christ. So few have this identification so as to have a personal relationship that is pure, not motivated by any selfish desire or want. So few know them meaning of "come" and "take up the cross" and be abandoned to Jesus Christ. 

     What is this "cross" that must be taken up? The cross is not some "gibberish" unintelligable utterings, or going about praying to those who do not believe in Jesus Christ, to believe that they can be "perfect" without sin in this world. No. The "cross" is Jesus Christ and the work that He performed on the cross, that through Him salvation is possible and that the debt man owes to God is now paid. You can have the benefit of the "cross" and this is the message we are to bear, the "cross" we are to bear and bring to the world, nothing else will do. Yes, we can be philanthropic and do good things, and we must, but this is second place behind the Gospel, the "Cross." 

     Jesus told that young rich man to sell everything and this was not what the young ruler wanted to hear, for he wanted as the old saying goes: "I want the cake and eat it too." No, we are not told to sell everything, only those things that take us away from the Gospel, to do be all that Jesus wants for you to be: An Authentic Christian. If you are insistent upon your own way, then this manifests that you have yet to cast aside yourself and have placed yourself ahead of Jesus Christ, for you have the priority in life for yourself. You, me, all who desire to  come to Jesus and be in a relationship with Him, to put Him first in our lives must renounce fundamentally all possessions of all kinds, not to save your soul, no, you cannot save your soul, but you can put absolute reliance on Jesus and follow Him. The road of our life is to be the road Jesus traveled for that is the way He went. 

     What have you placed ahead of Jesus? What things must you renounce so that Jesus has the first place in your life? You must, all of us must, all who want to be Authentic Christians and living Authentic Christian Faith is to see from Jesus Christ's point of view is that it it union with Him and nothing in between. Question: Will you be a true follower or only want your "cake and eat it too?"

And now, O Lord God, Thou art that God, 

    and Thy words be true, and Thou hast

promised this goodness unto Thy servant:

    therfore now let it please Thee to bless

the house of Thy servant, that it may

   continue for ever before Thee: for thou,

O Lord God, hast spoken it: and with Thy

    blessing let the house of Thy servant

be blessed for ever.

                       IISamuel 7:28-29

Come and go: deny and follow Jesus

Richard L. Crumb