Commentaries:
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Mark 10:17-22
It is not hard to determine that he feared the loss of his wealth, for that is where his security was. However, it kept him from loving Christ. Covetousness and idolatry reared their ugly heads and stopped him cold in his tracks because he feared the loss of what he already had, and he would not venture forth to lay hold on what Christ offered.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Love's Greatest ChallengesRelated Topics: Covetousness | Fear | Idolatry | Insecurity | Loss of Wealth | Loves Greatest Challenges | Security
Mark 10:17-24
Mark 10:17-24 tells the tragic story of a wealthy young man who greatly desired to become part of Jesus' following. Because he wanted eternal life and to be in God's Kingdom, he asked Jesus what he must do to obtain them. When Christ replied that he would have to get rid of all he had, his high ideals came crashing down. A sin smashed them because his sin was stronger than his ideals. Jesus says in verse 24: "And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, 'Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the Kingdom of God!'" The young man's covetousness destroyed his ideals, and he was willing to settle for less.
Sin destroys ideals. A tragic process begins when we become involved in sin. At first, we regard sin with horror. If we continue to commit the sin, we will still feel ill at ease and unhappy about it, but gradually our consciences will adjust. Each sin makes the next one a bit easier. Over time, the conduct will become entirely acceptable, and we will sin without a qualm. Sin is addictive like a drug. As the addiction becomes stronger, the ideal depreciates until it is completely gone.
John W. Ritenbaugh
What Sin IsRelated Topics: Addiction to Sin | Addictive Quality of Sin | Conscience | Conscience , Seared | Conscience, Cauterized | Covetousness | Hardening of Conscience | Parable of the Rich Young Man | Sin | Sin , Addictive Quality | Sin Destroys Ideals | Sin Destroys PeaceOther Forerunner Commentary entries containing Mark 10:17:
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What Does Mark 10:17 Mean?
The wealthy young man who came running to Jesus recognized that he did not possess eternal life. His high ideals and sincere desire to join Jesus' following and enter God's Kingdom prompted his question. Yet when Christ told him to give up all he had, his ideals came crashing down, smashed by a sin stronger than those ideals. His covetousness and idolatry stopped him cold, for his security rested in his wealth, and fear of losing it kept him from loving Christ and venturing forth to lay hold of what Christ offered. Sin destroys ideals through a tragic, addictive process: what once brings horror gradually becomes acceptable, each sin making the next easier, until the ideal depreciates completely and one sins without a qualm.