One Thing Thou Lackest

Mark 10:17-22 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.(didn’t want meaningless titles) Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. 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. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

Also recorded in Mt 19:16; Lu 18:18

 What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

The question was not "What is the way of salvation?" but, "How can I merit heaven?"

Or:

doing what shall I inherit?" Precisely the same question is asked by the lawyer in

Lu 10:25. And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

 Why callest thou me good?

no Jewish rabbi was called "good" in direct address. The question of Jesus will show whether it was merely fulsome flattery on the part of the young man or whether he really put Jesus on a par with God. He must at any rate define his attitude towards Christ.

 Thou knowest the commandments

was referred to the last six of the Ten Commandments. For the last commandment, "Thou shalt not covet," Jesus substitutes its equivalent, "Do not defraud," and "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself," the last being a summary of all the six (Ro 13:9).

Do not kill. See Ex 20:13; De 5:17.

Do not commit adultery. See Ex 20:14; De 5:18.

Do not steal. See Ex 20:15; De 5:19.

Do not bear false witness. See Ex 20:16; De 5:20.

Do not defraud. See Ex 20:17; De 5:21.

Honor thy father and mother. See Ex 20:12; De 5:16.

 All these have I observed from my youth

These duties of the second table the young man says he had kept from his youth, and perhaps might say it truly, according to the Pharisees interpretation, which condemned only the gross, outward act, not the inward lust and motion of the heart.

1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image,

3. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain;

4 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

5. Honour thy father and thy mother:

6. Thou shalt not kill.

7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

8. Thou shalt not steal.

9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

10..Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

One thing thou lackest:

Mt 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

I have now concentrated all my prayers into one, and that one prayer is this, that I may die to self, and live wholly to him. –Spurgeon

What Are You Lacking?

A wife who is 85% faithful to her husband is not faithful at all. There is no such thing as part-time loyalty to Jesus Christ.

You must get involved to have an impact. No one is impressed with the won-lost record of the referee.

We Can’t Work to Earn God’s Favor (Surrender)

1 John 5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

We Must Work to Fulfill God’s Calling (Sanctification)