How Far Is Not Far?
Mark 12:28-34
“One of the scribes came near…he asked him, ‘Which commandment is the first of all?’”
Jesus gives the truth of the law and prophets in the two greatest commandments, there is only one GOD so Love Him and love your neighbor as yourself. When he concludes his answer to the scribe, the scribe says, “You are right, Teacher…this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” Demonstrating that he understood the intent of the law not just its letter. When Jesus recognized that he grasped that truth he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”
I suppose the question could be asked, how far? Or how close was he? And why didn’t Jesus lead him the rest of the way. Why did he leave him lingering on the edge? The text tells us that, “After that no one dared to ask Him any question.” Why not? Wouldn’t they want to know what else was needed to get either himself or herself or this man the remainder of the way? I have to be candid, Jesus would probably be tossed out of the Campus Crusade for Christ witnessing program and Billy Graham’s Crusade training, for not going all the way with this person!
Did Jesus expect something? In Luke, a similar account is used to lead into the story of the Good Samaritan. At the end, the lawyer who had posed the original question was told to “go and do likewise”. Like there was nothing else he needed to do in response to his original question, which was, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
In our Christian culture we use terms like righteousness and justification, saved and born again, to refer to the conversion experience and the qualities we want to ascribe to it. But Jesus refuses to do that. He doesn’t fit the mold of what we would expect, nor should he. He’s not concerned with numbers, notches, or national acclaim. He is just concerned with people. That their heart be right with God. Which is what righteousness is really all about regardless of its theological definition or implications. Time after time we see Jesus encounter people at the time of deepest need whether it’s physical infirmity or spiritual deprivation, and when he takes action his requirements are minimal, they can be summed up in to simple words, “go and do”. Often times, it is simply “go”.
Now before you go too far and leap to unfounded conclusions. There is no basis in this for some type of universalism or wink and nod type of conversion. What I am saying is that we basically have a couple of options. When Jesus says things like “Your faith has made you whole” or something similar – apparently that carries over to a saving faith. If not, then we would have to ask, how one could have a faith deep enough in God that could result in healing but not in “healing”. Secondly, I don’t believe Jesus would start something that he could not or would not finish. (Those of you who subscribe to predetermination will like this one.) That would mean, whether it was a matter of the law, healing or forgiveness for adultery no further action was required on Jesus’ part because it didn’t matter, the matter had already been settled in eternity.
I suppose no one is entirely comfortable with either of those. Especially the second one. But what other options are there? Which leads me back to this scribe who is told by Jesus “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”
Perhaps there is an obligation on the part of the person involved to do something other than just go and show or sin no more. What if there was an expectation that something was indeed started that must be finished. A seed planted that is yet to take root and grow. Is Jesus’ ministry that of a planter, a seed sower and not a reaper? Is that what the parable of the sower was all about and the series of parables about the kingdom of God? This mustard seed analogy, is that what Jesus meant?
For me, these are hard questions. I recall touring the Billy Graham museum and in one of the video presentations of Mr. Graham’s message he says something to the effect that “your heart may never be as open to the gospel as it is tonight, there may never be a time like this again”. If that’s true, striking while the iron is hot becomes critical, eternally critical. If it is not, then anytime could be the right time to present the gospel. After all, the decision to receive Christ is not just an emotional decision it is a decision of the soul, the entire being. It is not just an intellectual decision it is a decision of the soul, the entire being.
So the seeds that Jesus is planting, some will fall on the path never to sprout at all. Some will have heard his teaching, found a moment of belief only to have that minute of faith snatched away by the evil one deceiving them with lies and causing them embarrassment or shame. Others, may find joy in it all, set some roots, only to find that it is much more difficult than they imagined. This “take up your cross daily and follow me” is just a bit heavier than expected so they drop out of the journey. Others, sink their roots deep and are in it for the long haul and the harvest.
Of course, this whole notion opens doors that many people do not want to walk through, which is a topic for another time.
