Hlootoo's Art

bransrath:

LINK to the passage

This passage is quite often employed by atheists (and others) as a cudgel to use on Christians. “Why haven’t you sold your possessions and given them to the poor like Jesus said to do??” They crow.

The answer is simple, and poignant. It is because Jesus did not tell us all to do that.  You have to read attentively.  What, exactly, did the rich man ask Jesus?

He asked…”Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Did you catch that?  I bolded it.  What can I DO….to inherit eternal life,  How can I earn my way, what will it cost to BUY my salvation.

As we all know, nothing an buy salvation, nothing can earn the way. Jesus saw into the heart of the man and picked out the ONE THING he knew that THAT MAN could not give up.

The lesson of the passage is that none of us is able to set the self aside to the degree necessary to gain salvation.  This is why the disciples asked, “How can be saved then?!”

And Jesus answered, “It is impossible for man, but with God, all things are possible.”

This passage is not an order for all of us to sell everything, but is a specific lesson that we cannot earn salvation, it must be given by the Grace of God.