Getting saved

“’It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’  The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, ‘Who then can be saved?’  Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.’”  Mark 10:25-27.

Verses chosen from today’s Bible reading; Psalm 121, and Mark 9-10.

Heaven is not for sale.

My goodness won’t get me there.

My wealth may NOT indicate that God has blessed me.

In the Jewish belief system of that day, wealth was indicative of someone who had been good.  The poor, on the other hand, had messed up.

Jesus had just chatted with a wealthy young man.  He would have been a prized Jew: wealthy as well as someone who, according to him, had obeyed the Ten Commandments since he was young.  BUT he was arrogant about his status before God and Jesus cut through it by telling him to sell everything.

This man was loved by Jesus but not accepted by Him.  To be acceptable he would need to trust God instead of his wealth and his goodness.

I can do nothing to make myself right with God.  I can never be good enough.  I am already seriously flawed.  I need another solution.  That solution is believing that I am flawed (That’s easy!) and believing that Jesus took my sins to the grave.  He paid for my sins on the cross and was raised to new life with my sins taken care of.  I am in the clear.  By believing these things I am saved from the consequences of my sins.  Judgment Day does not worry me, in fact, I look forward to it.

“Lord, thank You for providing a way for a sinner like myself to have my after-life with You.  I believe that You took care of my sin problem when You died for me.  I believe that when You were raised (by God) You gave me a new life unburdened by my sins.  Help me to live this day accordingly.  I love You, Father.”

I will never be good enough to be saved…………nor will you.

How NOT to be part of an after-life with God

“’It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God’” The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, ‘Who then can be saved?’ Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.’”  Mark 10:25-27.

Verses chosen from today’s Bible reading: Numbers 32-33, and Mark 10.

We will not be entering an after-life with God without following His entrance requirements.

It is real clear from today’s verses that we won’t be buying our way in.

It was common belief in the days of Jesus to believe that wealth indicated God’s blessing: You must be a Godly person because you have been given things.  On the other hand, poverty indicated God’s displeasure with you.

Jesus put that thinking to rest by clearly telling the disciples that wealth in this world would not be impacting after-life status.

The mere thought, dumbfounded the disciples.  They wondered how anyone, including themselves, could gain an after-life with God.

God’s supplied the answer that they needed and the answer we must understand as well: After-Life status comes through a relationship to Him.  We trust Him completely and live accordingly.

“Lord, Your Way is the only way.  Thank You for presenting that Way in Scripture.  I believe the Good News: You did take care of my sin burden.  You did give me a new life as a result.  Thank You, Jesus!  I love You.”

You can not buy your way in, my friend.