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(1) T. Boone Pickens had a birthday party last night at the Dallas Country Club. Comedian Dennis Miller was brought in to perform (who quipped "This place makes Caligula look like a minimalist") as well as Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman (their fine work here). Some billionares whose names I didn't recognize attended along with Jerry Jones, Tom Hicks, and Gov. Rick Perry.
(2) Mark 10: "17 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? 18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. 19 Thou knowest the commandments [he then lists most of them].20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. 21 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. 22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. " (Emphasis added.)
45 comments:
You're quoting Scripture, BG?
I think the point of the story is that if you value other things more than devotion to God, you can't get into Heaven.
I don't think it means having money is bad.
Bad news for the atheists, anyway.
Did you know this from memory or did you have to look it up?
Obivously Mark's Gospel had some kind of exemption planned for the banking industry and GOP but it got omitted from the final version somehow.
Barry, I'm impressed and normally do not depend on you for my daily bible devotional.
Very true statemet to all you hummer and esclade drivers out there. Possessions and status do not make the the person.
"The things that you own, end up owning you."
"You are not the contents of your wallet."
"You're not your fu$#ing khakis."
~ Tyler Durden
The first one is inscribed on the back of my Rolex.
Joke.
3 out of 4 Gospel writers agree:
Matthew 19:24
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
Mark 10:25
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
Luke 18:25
Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
John must have hit the delete key by accident.
Double Fake King James
Does this mean Ted Kennedy is going to donate all his wealth to
the poor before he bites the big one in an effort to find out if God could let him slide on that little Mary Jo thing?
Assets are pretty much the same as money, right?
Consider this:
Does the passage about the rich young ruler teach that Jesus expects His followers to give up all of their possessions to follow Him?
It's true that Jesus told the rich young ruler to give up his wealth and follow Him ( Mark 10:21 ). On another occasion, Jesus said, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" 1 ( Mark 10:25 ).
On other occasions, Jesus didn't rebuke friends who owned property or command them to sell their homes and businesses. In fact, He often ate with people and stayed at their homes. Friends like Mary and Martha or Zacchaeus the publican were clearly not among the poor. He was even buried in the newly excavated tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy member of the Sanhedrin.
So why, then, did Jesus set up what seems to be such a stringent requirement for this particular young man? ( Matthew 19:16-22 ; Mark 10:17-31 ; Luke 18:18-30 ).
Jesus knew the young man's heart. He knew that he was looking for a way to earn his salvation on his own terms. He may have thought that the Master would give him a specific task or good deed to perform that would win eternal life, one that wouldn't require him to humble himself and unconditionally set his life under the authority of Christ. Instead, Jesus set up a requirement that clearly illustrated the basic issue: the rich young man's desire to retain control of his life.
Jesus wasn't implying that salvation can actually be earned by good deeds. Even if the rich young ruler would have given away his riches and followed Christ, he wouldn't have earned his salvation. However,if he had done so, he would have surrendered his desire for autonomy and acknowledged God's authority to do what He wanted with his life.
what a pathetic ploy of quoting scripture to get lots of comments on your post
How does the Kennedy family fit in with this Bible quote? What about the Clintons?
I've always had three thoughts on this story.
1. I think it was an individual test for this rich man. Not required of everyone and I don't think it means having wealth is bad, it means is your committment to my Gospel to level that you would be willing to sacrifice anything and everything if asked.
2. Jesus' first response does not jive with the trinity doctrine, because He makes it sound as though He is not God and that God is another person or being.
3. Then Jesus' response to the man's question doesn't jive with a lot of Christian church's doctrine. Most of them say you don't have to do anything but believe for eternal life, yet He did not say anything about belief, He only talked about keeping commandments to gain eternal life. That would be considered doing works to gain eternal life and that contradicts the doctrine of most of these "once saved always saved" churches.
The catch is priorities! What do you put before God? Therein lies the rub.
I normally don't get involved in Church goins on's since I don't attend but can somebody explain somethin.
Are we to believe someone followed Matthew Mark luke and Jesus around with a pad and pencil copying everything they said verbatum every day of their lives and if so why?
Why did they think it was important enough to be jotted down anymore than anything else people said on a daily basis?
If someone didn't run around copying down things,couldn't they be wrong on what exactly was said or it's meaning?
2:09, Great job!! Good works alone does not get one to heaven. 2:37, I understand what you are saying but these things were written down by the four you mentioned. Maybe not at that very instant but later then handed down through the years. I have no doubt the words were inspired and written by God through these individuals. There is a saying, I would rather spend my life believing there is a God then find out in the end there is not than spend my life not believing in God and find out in the end there is. Again, 2:09, whoever you are hit the nail on the head!
2:37 You hit the nail on the head! The bible wasn't written by Jesus or God. It was written by man just like all the other fictional books out there.
Here's another splash of gasoline for the fire. If there's only one bible, why are there so many different churches? Shouldn't everyone who claims to be "Christian" believe the same exact beliefs? Or, are there different classifications of Christianity?
I don't believe that if you have money when you die you are going to burn in hell. If thats the case Hugh Hefner is going to rot in hell . . . or wait . . . surely God won't let a man that loves bunnies got to hell, right? There so cute, bubbly and cuddly.
3:03 we need to talk. The story behind that cannot be told on a blog for it would take entirely too much room and you would probably be cut off. However, you do have a legitimate question. I truly do not believe God intended it to be that way but then again there is man and their interpritations sometimes blurs their vision. Hence, all these Churches. Churches split years and years ago because of interpritation. The sad part is what they were so concerned about and some still are today, does not make a "hill of beans" to God. And I'll be the first to admit, it's a sad situation and doesn't make Churches look very well much less assist in bringing others to Christ. Your comment just goes to show there is major room for improvement on the side of Churces. Sorry to let you down and sorry you feel that way. There are a number of great Churches in this area with great people who would be as disappointed as I.
2:09 You're right, He did not imply it, He said it. Right there in black and white, He told the rich man if he sold all he had and gave it to the poor he would gain heaven. Directly from His lips.
2:37 Why is it so difficult to believe that the God who made the Heavens and the Earth, can't get His book written the way He wants it? You are trying to reconcile the accomplishment of His spiritual purpose with an earthly agenda.
m&m You have to take each verse in the Bible in the context that it was written. Isolating a verse or two may misrepresent what it was intended to say. Also, the explanation of this passage has been explained completely in some of the previous posts 2:09 and 2:28.
The Bible was inscribed over a period of two thousand years
In times of war and in days of peace
By kings, physicians, tax collectors, farmers, fishermen, singers, and shepherds
The marvel is that a library so perfectly cohesive could have been produced by such a diverse crowd
Over a period of time which staggers the imagination
Jesus is its grand subject, our good is its design, and the glory of God is its end
The Word is alive
And it cuts like a sword through the darkness
With a message of life to the hopeless and afraid
Breathing life into all who believe
The Word is alive
And the world and its glories will fade
But His truth, it will not pass away
It remains yesterday and forever the same
To M&M
2:09 here. I disagree. Look at the parallel pasage in Luke and consider this question:
Was Jesus teaching salvation by works to the rich young ruler (Luke 18:18-23)?
In Luke 18:18-23 Jesus answered the question, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" by telling the rich young ruler to keep the commandments (v. 20). Does this statement support the idea of salvation by grace plus works?
No. There is no evidence here or elsewhere that Jesus taught that good works are a condition of salvation. This is clear for a number of reasons.
First of all, Jesus' answer was not intended as a plan of salvation but as proof of the young man's condemnation. The law does not save (Romans 3:28), but it does condemn (Romans 3:19). The "law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith" (Galatians 3:24). Jesus was trying to demonstrate to the young man that he stood condemned before the law. His unwillingness to give his money to the poor revealed that he had not even kept the first great commandment to love God more than his money or anything else (cf. Matthew 22:36-37).
Furthermore, even the rich young ruler's question was confused. For a person does not "do" anything to get an inheritance of any kind, including eternal life. An "inheritance" is a gift. Indeed, eternal life is presented throughout the Bible as a gift (Romans 6:23; John 3:36; 5:24; 20:31; 1 John 5:13). And one cannot work for a gift. As Paul said, "Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness" (Romans 4:45). The only "work" by which someone can be saved is "faith." For when Jesus was asked, "What can we do to accomplish the works of God?" Jesus replied, "This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent" (John 6:29).
Religion is man made. That is why there are so many different churches and religions.
There is but one God. Jesus is the Son of God. The way to heaven is through Jesus Christ and him crucified for the remission of our sins. He paid our price for sin when he was curcified.
Money isn't going to get you to heaven, works isn't going to get you there either. Faith and believing in Jesus is the only way. Through Him and Him only are you going to be saved.
Now some may argue that point but I would much rather live believing this than die not believing it
I wonder if the triple rich Kenneth Copeland is listening
the triple fake Pope Benedict
Yeah 2:20 and how does MZCHIEF fit into this?
LOL. I think 3:03 hit the nail on square on the head with their second paragraph. Look how many different opinions there are on this blog in regards to the same verse. Too funny! No wonder religion is so screwed up.
BG you are gold! Wonder if that means you'll go to heaven? LOL
BG, Are you f'n crazy to open topic of religion or what?
"Religion, is a smile on a dog."
Double Fake Edie Brickell
2:09/4:14 In answer to your first question: No. Second question: yes. Are you blind? If it was possible by belief only and Jesus was an honest guy, Jesus would have simply said, "All you have to do is believe in me." Is Jesus trying to trick him or deceive him by telling him all he has to do is keep the commandments and sell everything? Because that is what He said. And the 'law' that is referred to in the verses in Romans and Galatians is referring to the entire law of Moses.
The work we don't have to do is provide salvation or eternal life. We cannot do that in and of ourselves. Only Jesus could provide that, but we have to qualify for it. Jesus said, "It ye love me, keep my commandments." It doesn't make any sense for there to be commandments from him and yet your saying we are not expected to keep them. Plus, isn't it interesting that we are all going to be judged on what? Matt. 12:35 & 16:27; Romans 14:10; Rev. 20:12 Wow, why are we going to be judged on our works if they don't matter? And what is that judgement for? Isn't it to determine our place in the eternities?
Why did Paul say to the Christians in Galatia that if they do any of these things (Gal. 5:19-21), sorry, no Kingdom for you. (Even if you believe)
The New Testament teaches we have to do a lot more than believe: Obey, confess, endure to the end, pray, have hope, partake of the sacrament, be baptized, be willing to forsake things we love, etc.
You'd better be good or the boogie man will get you!
It amazes me that so many grown and otherwise rational people still need to be bribed into being a decent human being.
I with Al on this.
Albert Einstein wrote: "The word god is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honourable, but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish. No interpretation no matter how subtle can (for me) change this."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/may/12/peopleinscience.religion
Back to the top! Perhaps BG was just asking what T Boone does with his money.......the purpose for more than any one man could ever use anx perhaps BG was also asking
What did he do to get it along the way?
"Religion is an insult to human dignity. Without it, you'd have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things, but for good people to do evil things, that takes religion."
---Physicist, Steven Weinberg
Only one church is mentioned in the bible:
Matt 16:15-18 (Christ to Peter "my church")
Romans 16:16
Let the "spin" begin, but there it is.
*OTFLOLHysterically*
I had truly forgotten just how retarded and ill informed are you religious freaks.
The Big Book of Myths and Fables aka Holy Bible is little more than a collection and regurgitation of previous civilizations' myths and fables.
Wrap your Christian heads around THESE facts about Jesus of Nazareth being nothing more than a knockoff of the Egyptian god Horus. Horus was worshipped 5,000 years PRIOR to Jesus and the tale of Horus is carved in STONE!
Christians, check out the link and read it all and perhaps you will learn something about Jesus other than the claptrap that has been pumped into your vacuous heads.
Here is the deal. If Christianity helps Christians foster a closer relationship with God, good for them. However, how dare the delusional lot of hypocrites force their mental weakness onto the remainder of the world who does not require poorly contrived mumbo jumbo in order to build a relationship with God and/or a better understanding of humanity.
NEWS FLASH!
The Big Book of Myths and Fables is a guide for Christians not the rest of the world.
Barry, you could use the NIV instead of the King James. There have been some improvements in the last 29 years.
mzchief, it's no wonder you create so much emotion. If you choose not to believe, so be it but it appears to me that you do the same as those you seem to despise - try to convince them that you are right and they are wrong.
To the anonymous who wondered why there was one Bible and so many churches, I would ask why there are so many differences in the two major political parties, why there are 18 different hamburger joints in Decatur and so on? People see things differently because they want to see it their way. I trust the world would be a better place if all Christians simply did only what God desired without their personal desires or beliefs but I just don't see it happening anytime soon.
Religion will disappear like CB's and the internet someday.
"I like your Christ, I do not like you Christians. You Christians are so unlike your Christ."
M&M:
Many of the things you mention are thinks a Christian should do (bear fruit) but they are not "qualifying" factors. More than 200 in the N. T. faith is described as the prerequisite.
The passage in question here is Jesus showing how it is impossible for anyone to keep the law. In a very real sense the man has broken the first commandment: "You shall have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3)
After pointing out the young man's inadequate understanding of "goodness," Jesus proceeds to inquire more of this man's -- and his culture's -- measure of righteousness.
"You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'
'All these I have kept since I was a boy,' he said." (18:20-21)
The verb "kept" is Greek phulasso, "to continue to keep a law or commandment from being broken, 'observe, follow.' " The commandments Jesus mentions all relate to the man's relationships with other people. Jesus will approach in another manner commandments that relate to God.
The young man's response is immediate: "All these I have kept since I was a boy" (18:21), and his answer should not surprise us. The rabbis held that the law could indeed be kept in its entirety. This might be true if you were defining the commandments as the Pharisees did, but we know from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:17-48) that Jesus' view of keeping these commandments goes far beyond the legalistic interpretations of his time. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus relates murder to its root in anger and adultery to its root in lust.
The young man thinks he has kept all the commandments, but still senses a lack, an incompleteness, or else he wouldn't have come to Jesus in the first place. Now Jesus speaks to the young man's point of need:
"When Jesus heard this, he said to him, 'You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.' " (18:22)
Jesus affirms the young man's sense of need. The word translated "lack" is Greek leipo, "to be deficient in something that ought to be present for whatever reason, 'lack.' "
But Jesus' prescription is unpalatable -- to the young man and to us. "Sell everything" and give the proceeds to the poor. The word translated "give" is Greek diadidomi, "apportion among various parties, 'distribute, give.' "
If the man does this, Jesus assures him, he will have treasure in heaven. "Treasure" is Greek thesauros, "that which is stored up, 'treasure.' " It is an ironic exchange that Jesus proposes -- exchanging fabulous wealth here on earth for fabulous wealth in the Kingdom of God. Many in history have tried to buy their way into God's good graces -- many of the world's beautiful cathedrals, temples, and mosques are inscribed with the names of generous benefactors. But Jesus is not proposing buying anything or doing anything glorious.
Jesus proposes the man selling all his property and giving the proceeds to those who are least able to reciprocate -- the poor.
But Jesus' words don't just upset the rich young ruler. They also upset us. He concludes with two commands. "Come" is Greek deuro, an adverb functioning as an interjection, "here, (come) here, come!" The word "follow" is the characteristic word of discipleship, Greek akoloutheo, "' follow,' figuratively, to follow someone as a disciple, 'be a disciple, follow.' "
He is inviting the rich young man to join him on his journeys, to become one of the disciples who enjoy the immense privilege of spending time with Jesus and learning from him on a day-by-day basis.
So the teaching is not about the redistribution of income. It is about the condition of the heart.
Is there anything, any hindrance, that you are unwilling to give up to follow Jesus? You may not be wealthy, but if there is something you possess, or that possesses you, laying it down is a vital part of following him. He must have your all. "Come, follow me."
You gotta love those folks who can even interpret and attach meaning to the tales scribbled in the Big Book of Myths and Fables. There is no telling what they come up with after they read Grimm's Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm.
*SMuG GRiN*
5:13............................
I think you have way too much time on your hands. I also think you are a nut case.
5:13 Wo, dude, you took 15 pages to say what I said in my first post in one paragraph:
"1. I think it was an individual test for this rich man. Not required of everyone and I don't think it means having wealth is bad, it means is your committment to my Gospel to the level that you would be willing to sacrifice anything and everything if asked."
And those points I brought up are, according to the N.T., necessary to qualify for eternal life. Please read more carefully, for it does say so. Let me know and I'll provide chapter and verse.
M & M:
I thought I had read carefully. Please provide chapter and verse instances (in context) where scripture states salvation requires the things you describe
"The New Testament teaches we have to do a lot more than believe: Obey, confess, endure to the end, pray, have hope, partake of the sacrament, be baptized, be willing to forsake things we love, etc."
I agree that these things should be present in a Christian's life. But none of them seem to be required to "qualify" for salavation. Salvation is by grace (unmerited favor) through faith.
I have to stop now or I will be bashed as having too much time on my hands (although when you think about it, what is more important?) or a nut case (time will tell on that)
2:41 Obey-The reference is the scripture we've been discussing. Jesus told the man point blank what he needed to do for eternal life. Also:Heb. 5:8-9; Matt. 7:21-23; John 14:15
Endure to the End: Matt. 10:22 & 24:13; Mark 13:13
Forsake: Matt. 19:27-29; Mark 10:28-30; Luke 18:28-30 & 14:25-27
Baptism: Mark 16:16; John 3:3-5; Matt. 3:15-16
Believe: Acts 16:30-31; John 3:15,36
Pray: Acts 2:21; Rom. 10:13
Hope: Rom. 8:24
Confess: Rom. 10:9
Love God & Fellow Man: Luke 10:27-28
Study Scripture: John 5:39
Partake of the Sacrament: John 6:53-58
Do Good Works: Rom. 2:6-7; John 6:27; All of Matt. 25; Gal. 6:7-10; James 1:22,25,27
Overcome: Rev. 21:7
Paul wrote 'work out your own salvation in fear & trembling' Phill. 2:12 In other words, Jesus did his part by providing salvation, now we have to qualify for it by obedience.
Also, I didn't hear anything about the judgement verses I mentioned in a previous post. Since it will be on our works, not faith, why do you say they are unimportant.
Thanks for the verses. I will take
some time to review them and I want to read then in the context there were written in.
For now I think they should be results of salvation not qualification requirements. For example, I think it is clear that we all should obey God but I don't believe that obeying God is a prerequisite for being saved.
Questions: How do you ever know you have done enough? Can you ever do enough? If salvation is a gift how do you work for it? If grace means unmerited favor then how do you have all of these qualifying items? Wouldn't you be judged on your merits, then? If you don't do the things you listed (faithfully)is there a chance you won't qualify? Is baptism a requirement for salvation?
I'm not trying to be a wise guy. I want to understand your position.
Paul explains how we are made alive in Christ in Eph. 2:
8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast.
As to the judgement verses. I believe there are two judgements, one for non believers and another for Christians (not for heaven or hell) but for rewards in heaven based on many of the things you mentioned
The passage in Eph. is describing what I talked about before. Christ provided something(a way to Eternal Life), that we could not do in and of ourselves. Only He could have done that. It is provided and because of Jesus' Atonement, Eternal Life is now a possibility for all mankind. This is where the question the rich young man asked becomes very important for every human. What do I have to do to qualify for that Eternal Life that Jesus provided? A lot of folks look at a few isolated scriptures and say all you have to do is believe. But as I view the Bible as a whole and I find all these passages that indicate other requirements, then I come to realize there is more involved than just believing.
The judgement thing is interesting. The Bible doesn't describe two different judgements, I don't think. But everytime it does mention a final judgement, it says it will be based on our deeds, works, even our idle words (Matt. 12:36-37). Don't you find it interesting it never says we'll be judged on our level of belief or faith? That's why Paul taught us to be doers of the word, not just hearers.
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