This devotion is a weekly ministry of the Pee Dee Baptist Association, comprised of 32 Southern Baptist churches in Dillon and Marlboro Counties. For more information call 774-8062.
Featured this week is Dr. Greg Hyler, the pastor of Mount Calvary Baptist Church, Dillon.
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. 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.” — Mark 10:17-21.
In the above passage, a man asks Jesus one of the most important questions in the whole Bible. He wants to know what he has to do to go to heaven. It is important because everyone needs to know the answer to this question. Jesus’ answer gives three reasons that were keeping this man from going to heaven, and will keep all others out as well.
The first reason is this man’s unbelief. He called Jesus good, yet he did not believe Jesus to be God. Jesus had often declared his divinity. He is the Son of God, fully divine. One must believe the truth about Jesus to go to heaven.
The second reason that would keep this man from heaven is a sense of self-righteousness. He presumed he had never broken any of God’s laws. The Bible says, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Understanding one’s sinful nature is what will lead one to Jesus for forgiveness of sin.
When a person is self-righteous, they do not believe they need Jesus, and often feel like they deserve to go to heaven on their merit. Jesus died and rose again to pay the penalty for sin. Faith in Jesus’ work is the only way to be saved from sin and to go to heaven.
The last reason that was keeping this man from heaven was an unrepentant idolatry. Money was his god, and Jesus told him he needed to not live for money but to instead follow the Messiah. He chose to keep his false god instead of the one true God.
To go to heaven, one must believe Jesus is the Son of God who died and rose to pay the penalty for sin. One must believe himself to be a sinner in need of a Savior. Finally, one must by faith repent of sin and trust Jesus alone for salvation.
Any ready who is not a Christian is invited to trust Jesus today. The following prayer may help you: “God, I am a sinner. I believe Jesus is Your Son, He died for me, and He is alive. I am asking Jesus to save me from my sin. I turn right now to follow Him.”
