Justin Matthew Reid

Bible Teachings - Thoughts on the Rich Young Ruler and "relationship"

Mark 10:17

...Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

He just wanted some simple rules to have eternal life. A-B-C and done. Instant rice. The cost of relationship was too great for him. People want the eternal life without the relationship with God. The relationship with God asks too much, whereas, the 'eternal life' is just another 'thing' to be possessed. How sorely they are mistaken.

John 17:3

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Jesus says eternal life IS knowing the Father. Relationship!

Further, the relationship with the Father is one where we submit to HIS will. That's why people shrink back from that relationship. They - the SELF - wants to be in the driving seat and have God submit to their desires. Who is the Almighty here? SELF is so proud, it thinks it knows better than GOD. Hello? Sin blinds the heart, most definitely. That's what is known as creating God in their own image. The true God says, 'thou shalt have no other gods before me". Making a god that allows for sin is just as insane as carving a god out of wood and calling it their god. Hello? It's just a piece of wood sitting in the corner!! The Word says that people who do such things have communion with demons. The true God won't stand for sin, since it breaks the relationship with a holy God. What does a demon care? They are filthy, sin-laden spirits. They'll gladly accept a relationship with a sinner, if it will damn the sinner's soul to hell for all eternity.

People make these wood idols because they are inanimate! The idols don't argue when the people choose to live lives of self indulgence. No wonder, since the puppeteer behind the idol is Satan, the originator of self indulgence. We might laugh at the absurdity at someone bowing down to wood idols, worshipping fire or nature. How silly, right? What about the false idols of: money, comfort, happiness, pride, the praise of men and so on? Just because those things are not physical objects, makes them no less absurd. After all, it's not the THING, the wood idol, that sends people to hell. It's their disobedient heart. Any false idol is equally absurd. They all lead to hell.

All people have the desire to know God, because that's how God made us. We are incomplete without God. When people follow that desire to the true God, how beautiful it is. When people seek to fulfill that desire according to their lusts, how pathetic!! They are trying to fill a square hole with a round peg, and it doesn't fit. Not discouraged, they take a sledgehammer of SELF and force that round peg into the square hole and exclaim, "see, it fits!".

Rules and regulations are what natural people crave when they want 'eternal life' from the Father, who is a spirit. It's asking too much to have to listen to God directly. For instance, when God spoke directly to the children of Israel out of Mount Sinai. What was their response? "YOU talk to God for us, Moses! We'll DO anything He asks! Just don't let Him speak to us directly!" (See Exodus 20:18-19). Natural Israel was exceedingly natural, sensual and selfish. They demanded a king over them like the other nations of the world. They were not happy to have God rule over them and to hear His voice. They wanted to elevate a man to the position that belongs to God alone. God gave them over to that wrong desire (See 1 Samuel 8). If people are insistent on having their way, what can God really do? He will patiently plead reason with them, for a time. Love cannot coerce. A relationship requires two willing participants.

Sadly, the would-be spiritual Israel of today, modern 'Christianity', is fighting God. They are insisting on being natural Israel. God has provided the New Testament through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. They count His blood as an unholy thing when they prefer the Old Testament! They say, "we will not have this man to reign over us.." (Luke 19:14). Why the Old Testament? Rules and regulations! Ceremony! They like to know their obligations to 'god', upfront. They'll agree to just about anything, as long as it allows for retaining their favorite pet sins. Self will never agree to destroy itself. That's why the cross of Jesus Christ is a stumbling block for so many.

Matthew 10:37-39

He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth (obtains) his life shall lose (destroy) it: and he that loseth (destroys) his life for my sake shall find (obtain) it.

Jesus Christ commands us to destroy our old, selfish life! Yes, the Greek really says destroy.

Strong's Greek #622 - Apollymi - to destroy, to kill (by taking a life), cause to lose (especially a life); to die or perish.

The root of this Greek word is used in this verse:

Revelation 9:11

And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon (Strong's #623).

Apollyon means destroyer. Who is the destroyer? None other than Satan. Jesus Christ came to DESTROY the old man, self, so that we might LIVE. Satan comes to DESTROY the new man in Christ Jesus, by building up SELF, so that we may DIE. Neither Jesus nor Satan can force us to destroy one or the other because the Father put that in OUR hand when He created us. Jesus and Satan are desperately trying to influence our decision, however.

The Bible is full of accounts of people who have denied God His rightful place in their lives. God has limited Himself by love, but it could be no other way. Let's give God the obedience/love that blesses His heart. Let's bless the Father. Let's throw SELF on the altar and leave it there! It's baggage, a weight, a heavy load, indeed. It forces us to rely on SELF instead of God. It prevents a relationship with God. We either burn SELF on the altar NOW, in this life, or it will be burning for all eternity. Either way, we are going to experience pain. While this pain is only temporary and is THE WAY to life, the other pain is eternal and is death. This pain we can choose now is life giving and gives God glory! The other.. well, it encourages others to go to hell and grieves God.

We are in a war and we'd better choose which side we are on, quickly! There are no timeouts. A choice to delay our decision is actually a decision for the enemy. Make the decision to serve God and rely on Him totally! Wherever it leads. We can't afford to lean to our own understanding in serving God. We MUST lean to His understanding, His ways, His Word, His holiness, AMEN! Not just saying it or nodding our heads, but *purposing* in our hearts to LIVE that way, one moment at a time, forever, AMEN!

-Justin

October 5th, 2008