Fears in my life and how do I deal with them

 BY Argie Simonis 

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." Gen. 1:27

We are made in the image and likeness of God. The Lord has given us the ability to experience emotions, which are essentially our response to the environment we are in, but He has not called us to walk in life based on our emotions, but based on faith:

"For we walk by faith, not by sight:

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." 2Cor. 5:7-8

One of those feelings that can sometimes paralyze a person is the feeling of fear. But do you know that fear is not just a feeling, but there is a spirit of fear, just as there are many other evil spirits behind bad feelings that we may experience? In today's message as I said, I will focus on the spirit of fear, but let's see what the word of God tells us:

"For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2Τim. 1:7

Here we see that there is a spirit of fear which is of the devil, and a spirit of power, a spirit of love and a spirit of sound mind, which is of the Lord.

See what Isaiah writes to us:

"To appoint to them that mourn in Zion, to give to them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified." Isaiah 61:3

Here we see the spirit of heaviness which is from the devil, and the spirit of praise which is from the Lord.

"And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

And the spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;" Isaiah 11:1-2

Here we see a spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord.

The spirit of fear is a demonic spirit that attacks a person and causes him all these feelings:

- Lack of courage,

- Insecurity,

- Hesitation,

- Doubt

 The reason I make this introduction is to expose the real root of the fear one may be experiencing:

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Eph. 6:12

Now look at a fear that the apostle Paul faced:

"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." 2Cor. 11:3

This is the first trap the devil set for man, and the reason I mention it is to see man's first reaction to sin. So what did Adam and Eve do once they sinned?

"And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

And the LORD God called to Adam, and said to him, Where are you?

And he said, I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself." Gen. 3:8-10

Man's first reaction when sin entered the world was fear. Let me make a clarification here:

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." Prov. 9:10

The fear of the Lord mentioned here has the meaning of the respect and honor we give to the Lord and not the terror or intimidation caused by the devil. So the fear felt by Adam and Eve is referred to in the second case. The most repeated command of God in the Bible is "Fear not". Whenever the Lord, or an angel of the Lord appears to someone, the first thing He says is "Fear not."

Man feared God, at a time when God had done nothing to cause this fear. I will talk about three main fears that a person can face in his life:

1. The fear of rejection.

God created us, but because His nature is love, we are actualy made by love:

"And we have known and believed the love that God has to us. God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him." 1John 4:16

In other words, we are made to love and to be loved. That's why the greatest fear a person can have is the fear of rejection. Do you know why; Because man's greatest need is love and acceptance. But this is something that can lead us into a trap, because our battle against rejection can turn all our attention to our acceptance by others, making it our first priority. So our struggle to be accepted by people, somehow becomes an idol in our life and we devote all our energy there, reaching the point of compromising our faith and our moral values, just to be accepted by others.

"The fear of man brings a snare: but whoever puts his trust in the LORD shall be safe." Prov. 29:25

For example, we hesitate to express our opinion on something we morally disagree with, in order not to offend people or provoke their reactions.

Do you know how the devil deceived Eve? He tempted her to get something she already had. Basically all of the three main fears I'm going to talk about today are actually things that the devil is trying to convince us that we don't have and need to get, when in fact we already have them.

Do you remember what the devil said to Eve?

"For God does know that in the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods..." Gen. 3:5

But in fact Eve was already like God:

"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." Gen. 1:26

So the devil managed to trick her, and look what happened:

"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, said he to you; but his heart is not with you." Prov. 23:7

So when the devil comes and tells you that you must do certain things in order to be accepted, your answer must be

"I'm already accepted."

That should have been Eve's answer as well. The devil told her if you do this you will become like God. Eve had to answer him "I am already like God".

If someone comes and tells you that if you don't do this, for example if you don't take this drug or if you don't do this crime you can't be part of the group, your response should be:

"I'm already part of a much better group. I belong to Christ's family, I'm already accepted":

"For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:" Rom. 8:15-16

Here is an advice tip for parents and then we'll go to the second fear:

Every child that comes into the world is born with the need of acceptance, and the only way for this child to find this acceptance is to be taught Christ.

So, since our greatest need is love, our greatest fear is rejection.

2. The fear of failure.

When you fear failure, success becomes the ultimate goal in your life, resulting in you constantly striving to become a successful person. In other words, you value what you fear, and success in that particular case becomes an idol in your life. Success according to the human terms is usually money, fame and glory. But look at what God's word tells us about this:

"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." Μatt. 6:24

Every human is born with the potential of success. But do you know what the biblical definition of success is? 

Obedience. 

When you obey God, you will be successful in whatever you do:

"Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.

But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law does he meditate day and night.

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper." Psalm 1:1-3

So when you devote yourself to studying the word of God and doing what the Lord tells you, you will have success in your life regardless of what is happening around you. The catch here is that if you try to achieve something in your own strength and not with God's power, two things can happen:

Either this will make you so stubborn that all you care about is achieving your goal at any cost, or your inability to do so will discourage you so much that you give up without even trying. I'm sure many of you have been, or possibly already are, in one of these two situations.

The same principle applies here. The devil tempts you to seek something that the Lord has already provided for you:

"Now thanks be to God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ, and makes manifest the aroma of his knowledge by us in every place." 2Cor. 2:14

We are already victorious in Christ and when we obey the Lord we will have success in our lives. An advice here and we'll go to the third fear:

Do not worship something that you already have and do not fear something that the Lord has already defeated. So there is no reason to fear rejection or failure.

3. With the same reasoning we go to the third fear, the fear of death.

I will say the same here:

You should not worship your life, but you have no reason to fear death either. The closer we get to the Lord, the less we fear death. I believe that the best criterion to see how far we stand in our faith, is to consider how much peace we have within us at the thought of the time when we shall depart from this life. We see the best example in the dilemma faced by the apostle Paul:

"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor: yet what I shall choose I know not.

For I am in a strait between two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.

And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;" Phil. 1:21-25

Do you see the revelation that Paul had on this subject? Whether you live or depart from this life is gain. How is it possible to intimidate such a man? With threats? With torture? With tribulation? With death? And don't forget that the same spirit that lived in Paul that time, lives in us today. All born-again believers have the Spirit of God dwelling within us:

"What? know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own?

For you are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." 1Cor. 6:19-20

"For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:" Rom. 8:15-16

The question that arises is this: What is wrong with wanting to be happy and enjoy my life?

Absolutely nothing, as long as you live the right way, and I will explain. As I said before, there is a right fear, the fear of the Lord, and a wrong fear. In the same way, there is a right life and a wrong life. One is from God and the other from the devil.

In other words: The temporary life and the eternal life.

Temporal life came forth only after man had sinned. There was no death until sin came into the world:

"Why, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed on all men, for that all have sinned:" Rom. 5:12

From the beginning of creation, God's plan for man was to have eternal life and not temporary. What I am trying to say is that when all your concern is in your temporary life here on earth and you fear death, then this life has become your idol. Remember the words of Jesus:

"For whoever will save his life shall lose it: and whoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Μatt. 16:25-26

Here, of course, the Lord does not promote suicide. He is simply setting the right priorities that we should have: Do not seek the temporary, but the eternal. Nothing temporary can give you real joy. Even in my temporary life here on earth, my real joy is in eternal life with the Lord, and actualy this eternal life begins here and now:

"He that has the Son has life; and he that has not the Son of God has not life." 1John 5:12

That is why I will emphasize again that when I say not to worsip our life, I do not mean not to enjoy it. What I'm trying to say is that we should not idolize the temporary, because that is precisely the devil's goal, to entrap us.

I will close this message with a reminder from the words of the apostle Paul:

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Gal. 2:20

Amen?

Pitfalls in your life and in your ministry

  BY Argie Simonis

The Lord has a calling on all of us. I believe many of you watching have already recognized your calling and want to walk in it. In today's message I will expose two big pitfalls that can stand in the way of the call the Lord has on your life and I will give some useful advice.

"For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise." 2Cor. 10:12

In other words, Paul is telling us that it is foolish to compare ourselves with others. There is serious danger in doing this and two things can happen:

  - If we compare ourselves to others who apparently are doing much worse than us, then there is a danger that pride will come into our hearts and the satisfaction we will feel can set us back and prevent us from becoming better.

- If we compare ourselves with those who apparently are better than us, then there is the danger of discouragement and disappointment. We lay down our arms and abandon the vision that the Lord has given us and as a result we remain unfruitful.

I underline the word apparently because it is impossible to know everything about others the way we know ourselves, nor what is really going on in their lives. Therefore, it is very possible that these people appear to be better or worse than they really are. Man tends to look at the appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart (1 Sam. 16:7)

See a typical example, Jesus' words to Peter:

"Then Peter, turning about, sees the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrays you?

Peter seeing him said to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?

Jesus said to him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to you? follow you me." John 21:20-22

Jesus had told Peter to follow Him. However, Peter wanted to know what the Lord's plans were for John, and the Lord told him that what He planned for John was none of his business. The devil has led many Christians astray by being preoccupied with what others are doing for the Lord and forgetting to look at themselves first.

Paul clearly tells us what our priority should be:

"Brothers, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before,

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing you be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this to you." Phil. 3:13-15

It doesn't matter if you do more than someone else to serve the Lord. The question is, are you walking in the will of God? Are you walking in the calling He has on your own life?

When at some point we appear before the Lord, we will give account for ourselves, for what the Lord called us to do, and not for what someone else has done or not done. Our works will be evaluated based on their quality and not their quantity:

"Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." 1Cor. 3:13

Be assured that in heaven there will be people who seemingly had built great houses (ministries) but the Lord will reject the building materials they used because their works were carnal. Likewise, there will be some others who, while they had no special recognition on earth because they did nothing great according to human standards, will receive great rewards because they faithfully completed what the Lord called them to do:

"So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen." Matt. 20:16

Do you know who the chosen ones are? God's word is simple, as long as you know where to look:

"And Samuel said, Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams." 1Sam. 15:22

"For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein you have done foolishly: therefore from now on you shall have wars." 2Chr. 16:9

Who are they whose hearts are perfect toward Him? We just saw it in 1 Sam. 15:22. Those with a heart of submission and obedience to His will.

I will explain it and also give an advice:

If you believe that you are sacrificing yourself for the Lord by doing your own things, things that you believe to be right, what we have just read puts things into perspective. Submission is an attitude of the heart, and obedience is the execution of a command. In other words, I agree in my heart with the Lord's will (submission), and I do what He tells me to do (obedience). I have a whole message on the subject of submission and obedience. You can find it here:

So, in summary, the first pitfall to avoid is:

Don't compare yourself to others.

---------------------------------

Now let's go to the second trap. I will make an introduction with some statements of the apostle Paul, and then I will explain.

In Romans chapter 15, Paul spoke of the glory, or the boasting, of the things God had done through him. He begins by saying to be of the same mind:

"Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:

That you may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Why receive you one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God." Rom. 15:5-7

Then in verses 17-18, Paul says:

"I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.

For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not worked by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed," Rom. 15:17-18

In 1Cor. he gives instructions of examples to avoid:

"Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted." A'Κορ. 10:6

And continues in vesre 12:

"Why let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." 1Cor. 10:12

Paul had many people who opposed his work. Here he refers to people who were his critics. These are the ones who just talk but cannot back up their claims. They talk big about what they would do, but have no fruit in their lives to back up their statements. They are only words.

Paul's opponents were just like many people who sow strife today. They are against everything, against authority, and criticize the way any kind of person in leadership handles things, either that person is a politician, a church leader, or generally a person in authority. They make big statements about what they would do if they were in power, but all they do is talk big. And they do this while they have not proven themselves successful in managing even the smallest things. Nevertheless, they want to be in charge of big things, just based on their words and promises.

See what Paul says about such people:

"But he that glories, let him glory in the Lord.

For not he that commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends." 2Cor. 10:17-18

Here I will make some important clarifications on the subject of ministry. God's kingdom operates on certain principles. Maturity and preparedness to do something has stages. Don't get impatient and pray 

"Lord why don't you use me?". 

The answer is simple. The Lord is not using you because you are not ready to be used. And I will explain it:

From the moment you enter the ministry you become a target for the devil:

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour:" 1Pet. 5:8

God will never expose you to such danger if you are not mature and properly prepared and grounded in faith. He wants to protect you and also the people you will minister to.

Paul gives clear instruction to Timothy regarding persons in the ministry:

"Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless." 1Tim. 3:8-10

Remember the parable of the seed:

"For the earth brings forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear." Μark 4:28

Remember also other Jesus' words:

"His lord said to him, Well done, you good and faithful servant: you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter you into the joy of your lord." Μatt. 25:21

"He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?" Luke 16:10-11

"And he said to him, Well, you good servant: because you have been faithful in a very little, have you authority over ten cities." Luke 19:17

As for people who are already in the ministry, as I said before, the moment you begin your ministry, you are entering the fields of the devil and there will definitely be resistance because the devil will raise people up against you to hinder you. The sad thing is that some of them will also be brothers in Christ. We already have an accuser, the devil

"... which accused them before our God day and night." Rev. 12:10

We don't need more accusers, so be careful not to fall into this trap and become one of those accusers.

It is observed that most of the time, the criticism against those who do some things that bring change, comes from those who do nothing. The best example is Jesus Himself, who despite of all His good works, miracles and healings, He was criticized and rejected by unfruitful people who had nothing to show for their own lives.

He who has done nothing yet in his life should not criticize the one who has done some things. Similarly, the one who claims that something cannot be done should not become an obstacle to the one who is already doing it.

So this is the second trap:

--- Do not critisize. ---

It is therefore important to avoid these two traps of the devil if we want to bear fruit and walk in the will of the Lord. Two things are very important that we must recognize as children of God and members of the body of Christ:

- First, we are made in a special and unique way,

- and second, we are not all called to do the same thing.

We must work together and not fight each other. We belong to the same family with the Lord as our leader and we strive for the same cause, each one of us with the gifts and abilities that the Lord has given us. Therefore, avoiding comparison and criticism among ourselves, grounded in faith, we will be able to walk in our calling and become the trees that David speaks of in the first psalm:

"And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper." Psalm 1:3

Amen!

How can I earn eternal life?

 BY Argie Simonis

Today I will answer a question that concerns many people:

"How can I gain eternal life?"

This is actualy the question that the rich young ruler asked  Jesus:

"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?

And Jesus said to him, Why call you me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

You know the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honor your father and mother.

And he answered and said to him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.

Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said to him, One thing you lack: go your way, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions." Mark 10:17-22

We see someone running to Jesus and publicly kneeling before Him. He did something very bold for the society of the time. Today such a person with such behavior would be welcome in any church. But Jesus, knowing the heart of every man, saw beyond the actions of this man:

"But the LORD said to Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." 1Samuel 16:7

Historically, Jesus has been the most central figure in the world, and even secular historians recognize this. Muslims recognize Jesus simply as a prophet. From other religions Jesus is recognized as a great teacher. Even by the New Age and atheists Jesus is recognized as a good man, who through his teaching and his way of life, showed us love and how to treat others the same way we want them to treat us. But none of these people were willing to elevate Him to His rightful place as God.

This is what we see here in the story with the rich young ruler. Jesus used this young man's love of money to expose his unbelief. Not only was his heart in the wrong place, but so was his question. And I will explain it.

"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?" Mark 10:17

Here is his first mistake.

It is not what we do for God that produces eternal life, but what He has done for us. This man was trying to earn his way to God by his works. But it doesn't work that way. We just need to humble ourselves and receive what Jesus did for us with His sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection as a gift:

"For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast." Eph. 2:8-9

Remember the parable of the publican and the Pharisee (Luke 18:10-14) who went to pray in the temple. Which of the 2 walked away justified? The Pharisee who put his trust on his good works, or the publican who recognized his sinfulness and asked God for mercy?

That is why Paul writes to the Galatians using harsh language:

"O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ has been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

This only would I learn of you, Received you the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Are you so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are you now made perfect by the flesh?

Have you suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.

He therefore that ministers to you the Spirit, and works miracles among you, does he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" Gal. 3:1-5

Let's go back to the rich young ruler. This young man had a wrong conception of eternal life. Many believe that eternal life is to live forever. But God's word teaches us that everyone lives forever. When someone dies, they do not cease to exist. The spirit and soul return to God and the body ends up in the grave.

Jesus Himself gives us the definition of eternal life:

"And this is life eternal, that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." John 17:3

He tells us that eternal life is to know the true God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent. The word know here does not simply mean brain knowledge, but has the meaning of awareness, of a deep and familiar relationship with someone. The same word is used in the book of Genesis, when Adam "knew" Eve and bore him Cain:

"And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bore Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD." Gen. 4:1

All who have passed from the face of the earth will continue to live in spirit form, some eternally with God, and some eternally away from Him. This verse clearly shows us that eternal life with God is not automatically given to everyone. The real purpose of salvation is not to live forever in heaven, as good as that sounds, but to have a personal and indimate relationship with God.

Notice Jesus' response in verse 18:

"And Jesus said to him, Why call you me good? there is none good but one, that is, God." Mark 10:18

Some have used what Jesus says here to support the view that Jesus humbles himself and admits that he is not equal to God. But what He actually does here is the exact opposite. What he is really telling the rich young ruler is to either call Him God or stop calling Him good. Thomas made the right decision, even if he had to feel Jesus' wounds to be convinced:

"And Thomas answered and said to him, My LORD and my God.

Jesus said to him, Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." John 20:28-29

Jesus answered this man's question according to the way he asked it. Notice that he did not ask how he might receive eternal life, but what he must do to earn it. If we rely on our works, then we must keep all the commandments perfectly, which is impossible, and that is exactly why God gave us the Law. It was to show us firstly that we cannot earn our salvation, and secondly to lead us to faith:

"But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up to the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

Why the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith." Gal. 3:23-24

Therefore, because the rich young man sought to gain eternal life, the Lord referred him to the Law:

"You know the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honor your father and mother." Mark 10:19

Now notice the young man's answer:

Earlier I explained that what Jesus is really saying to the rich young man is to either call Him God or stop calling Him good. Here the young man leaves out the good, and refers to Jesus only as a teacher. This clearly shows that he was not willing to worship Jesus as God, because apparently just as Nicodemus visited Jesus at night, it was because he was afraid:

"These words spoke his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue." John 9:22

And of course by recognizing Jesus as the Son of God, it means recognizing His equality with God:

"Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God." John 5:18

"The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone you not; but for blasphemy; and because that you, being a man, make yourself God." John 10:33

Here comes the question:

Why would a person who was unwilling to accept Jesus as God come to Him to be taught? It is the same reason why people come to God for help, but they will not commit their lives to Him. This man recognized his need for more, but was not willing to give himself completely to Jesus.

He saw Jesus as the icing on the cake of his good and successful life and just wanted a little boost. But it doesn't work like that:

"For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Matt. 16:26

Check out what else this young man is missing:

"And he answered and said to him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth." Mark 10:20

He believed that he had kept all the commandments since he was a child. This was not true. No one has kept all the commandments of God, it is impossible to do so. He may have done it to a better degree than others, but who wants to be the best sinner who ever went to hell?

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:" Rom. 3:23-24

Paul also tells us that it is foolish to compare ourselves with others:

"For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise." 2Cor. 10:12

Even if he honestly believed that he had not broken any of God's commandments, he was honestly wrong. That was why Jesus told him to sell everything he had and give it to the poor. Jesus in other words was showing him that he had broken the first commandment, 

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3),

as well as the tenth commandment, 

"Thou shalt not covet" (Exodus 20:17). 

This man's money had become his god, and this is shown by the fact that he chose to reject Jesus' instructions if it was going to cost him his possessions.

Let me explain something here:

Jesus did not ask Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) or other rich people to sell all their possessions before they could become His disciples. Indeed, one of the Lord's blessings to godly people was wealth (Abraham - Genesis 13:2 and 24:35; Isaac - Genesis 26:12-16; Jacob - Genesis 36:7; Joseph - Genesis 49:26 · David - 1 Chronicles 22:14-16 and Solomon - 1 Kings 3:13, 2 Chronicles 1:12 and 9:27). Jesus told this man to sell all his possessions and give to the poor, because he trusted in his riches (Mark 10:24).

It's not bad to have money. But the love of money is:

"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." 1Tim. 6:10

The only thing this young man lacked was faith in Jesus as his Savior. He saw eternal life as a reward for his good works and not as a gift that Jesus offers and is received by faith.

Some may think that Jesus spoke harshly to this young man, but it must be noted that Jesus loved him. True love will tell a person the truth. So Jesus spoke the truth to him not to turn him away, but to turn this young man to Him, who is the way, the truth and the life.

Eternal life has already been made available to us by God, by grace, and is received through faith, when we accept Jesus Christ as Lord into our hearts (Rom. 10:9) Jesus loves you and wants to know you personally :

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Rev. 3:20

When we present eternal life and the salvation of our souls as something only to do with spiritual things that will benefit us in the future, we are not helping people. There are many who live a real hell everyday. Fear, depression, poverty, strife, rejection, pain, broken marriages. They try to survive in a daily torture. By making salvation something future, to come sometime later, many people put off making that decision because daily survival is their priority.

Eternal life begins here and now:

"And this is the record, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

He that has the Son has life; and he that has not the Son of God has not life." 1John 5:11-12

Amen?