One Thing Thou Lackest

“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 10:21.

This one thing that Jesus asked of this young man seemed too much to him. He lost his joy and sadness came in its place. How could he give up his riches? They were so important to him! His heart was in them. He did not understand that Jesus wanted to free him from the love of money, which is ” the root of all evil.” 1 Tim. 6:10. Being grieved, he turned away from the Saviour. How sad a decision! For the sake of earthly treasure he sacrificed eternal life. Only one thing he was lacking, and it was enough to separate him eternally from God and from salvation.

How is it with us? Are we also lacking one thing? Are we keeping in our hearts, secretly, something which is against the will of God? Let us not make the same mistake as this rich young man! Let us make a right decision to save our souls before the time of mercy ends.

There was one disciple to whom worldly treasures were important, and he did not want to fight against the love of money. This was Judas. He started to follow Jesus for the purpose of getting a better position and financial gain.

When Mary anointed the feet of Jesus, he was not happy. He had to say, ” Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?” John 12:5.

The Spirit of Prophecy reveals to us that he did not care for the poor. ” Judas was treasurer for the disciples, and from their little store he had secretly drawn for his own use, thus narrowing down their resources to a meager pittance.” DA 559.

The power of the Holy Spirit which can change us was offered to Judas as well as to the other disciples. The Saviour’s loving treatment towards him did not cause a change in him, nor the promptings of the Holy Spirit. The one thing that was lacking closed his heart to repentance and brought about his destruction. He went so far that for the gain of money he agreed to betray his Teacher.

” And he said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver Him unto you? And they covenanted him for thirty pieces of silver.” Matt. 26:15.

How sad and shameful end that came upon Judas. Because of the love of money he lost both, the temporal and the eternal life. He was very close to salvation, but did not use the opportunities that were offered to him.

“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” James 2:10.
The word of God teaches us that it is not enough to keep nine commandments. The one commandment that is neglected will separate us from salvation. The enemy of souls knows this, and therefore, he is trying so that the candidates for heaven will not give up all their weaknesses, but break at least one of the commandments of God.

Since the beginning, Satan has been fighting against the law of God and still today he is continuing the battle. He causes the people to think that it is impossible to keep all the commandments of God. Because of his influence, many of the believers who try to obey the law in their own strength, only to be soon disappointed, therefore they come to the decision that it is impossible to keep the law of God.

By the influence of the devil, the churches are teaching that Christ has fulfilled the law for us. Furthermore, they say that the law has been nailed to the cross, and therefore it is not necessary to keep it. By this, the enemy of souls leads millions of Christians to eternal death.

It is clear that no one can fulfill the law of God in their own strength. Jesus said, ” Without Me ye can do nothing.” John 15:5. The Saviour Himself said, ” If ye love Me, keep My commandments.” John 14:15. inspired by the Holy Spirit, Apostle Paul wrote, ” I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Phil. 4:13.

Also John wrote by inspiration: ” For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous.” 1 John 5:3.
May the Lord help us that His love will increase in us, only then can we fulfill His will in all points.
Lack of Oil

” And the foolish said unto the wise, give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.” Matt. 25:8.
In the last moment the five virgins realized that they had no oil. Then they wanted it very much, but it was too late. The time of the preparation had been neglected and now it had passed. How sad disappointment. Did they not know before that they had no oil? They were the same kind of virgins as the others. They had lamps in their hands and everything what the other virgins had, except one thing, the precious oil, the Holy Spirit.

Without the early rain and the latter rain, a believer is not prepared to meet his Saviour, although the outside may seem genuine. If his heart is not open to the influence of the Holy Spirit, his faith is just mere formality, and his soul, spirit, and body are not being sanctified in the truth.

“And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he said unto him, Friend, how comest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.” Matt. 22:11, 12.

Nothing is more sorrowful than to see that we are not among the saved, although we called ourselves Christians. How serious a thing this is. Now is the time to examine ourselves to make sure that we have the wedding garment.

It is necessary to know that we are not covered by our own garments, while thinking that we have the white garment offered by Christ. We need to examine ourselves daily so that we will not be deceived. When we have died to sin, then we live for Him.

Today Jesus is still offering to us the gift of the white garment–His righteousness, which will entitle us to enter into the new earth. Let us accept this marvelous gift which is given us without merit on our part. A Christlike character is the only thing we can take to heaven. We receive it when Christ lives in us and we in Him.

“Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.” Song of Sol., 2:15.
People always have a tendency to say, ” It is a small thing!” In other words, ” It has not great importance,” ” it does not pay to do it.” It is true that in our life and religion, we have many small things; gut have they been given us for no reason?

In our body there are very small organs and we need them all. If some of them are removed, then we cannot live in a normal way. Then as the small organs in our body are needed, then also the small things in our Christian life are important. God speaks to us through His apostle, ” Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” James 4:17.

God has given us wisdom and ability to understand by the light of the Holy Scriptures, what is good and how to do it, but through the carnal mind the enemy of the soul works and speaks to us. ” It is a small thing,” you don’t need to go that far, and so on.

Just one sin is enough to shut heaven to us!
” If we would escape having a sickly experience, we must begin in earnest without delay to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. There are many who give no decided evidence that they are true to their baptismal vows. Their zeal is chilled by formality, worldly ambition, pride, and love of self. Occasionally their feelings are stirred, but they do not fall on the Rock, Christ Jesus. They do not come to God with hearts that are broken in repentance and confession. Those who experience the work of true conversion in their hearts will reveal the fruits of the Spirit in their lives. Oh, that those who have so little spiritual life would realize that eternal life can be granted only to those who become partakers of the divine nature and escape the corruption that is in the world through lust!” Test. Vol. 9, p. 155.

God in His great mercy has given much light about our salvation. Do we want to be faithful to the Lord in the great things as well as in the small things? May the Lord help us in this.

” Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungered, and ye gave Me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me in: Naked, and ye clothed Me: I was sick, and ye visited Me: I was in prison, and ye came unto Me.” Matt. 25:34-36.

O, how great joy it will be to hear these words from the Lord, when we find out that the battle was not in vain., that we are in the company of the overcomers.

A true Christian is ready to do any sacrifice for the Saviour. He is not resenting the necessary change when he hears the words of Jesus, ” One thing thou lackest.” He is like Abraham, ready to follow the Lord and be faithful in all things.

” The power of Christ alone can work the transformation in heart and mind that all must experience who would partake with Him of the new life in the kingdom of heaven. “Except a man be born again,’ the Saviour has said, ‘he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3. The religion that comes from God is the only religion that can lead to God. In order to serve Him aright, we must be born of the divine Spirit. This will lead to watchfulness. It will purify the heart and renew the mind, and give us a new capacity for knowing and loving God. It will give us willing obedience to all His requirements. This is true worship.” Test. Vol. 9, p. 156.

My wish and prayer is that after this great battle we can enter into the land of peace, and hear the words of Jesus, ” Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” Matt. 25:21.
AMEN.