Rich Mullins once said at a Wheaton College Chapel service
"You guys are all into that born again thing, which is great. We do need to be born again, since Jesus said that to a guy named Nicodemus. But if you tell me I have to be born again to enter the kingdom of God, I can tell you that you have to sell everything you have and give it to the poor, because Jesus said that to one guy too...
...But I guess that's why God invented highlighters, so we can highlight the parts we like and ignore the rest."
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2 comments:
I think the difference in those two passages is that Jesus was talking about how a person can be born again (any person), and with the rich man, Jesus was speaking specifically to that man's question, "What must I do?" I think that man had his life based on and his heart set on riches. It prevented him from following Christ. I think if God gives us money and talents we have a responsibility to use them to help others. Jesus came to give life, abundant life, which is eternal. Whatever goods we have here we are responsible to use to His glory. You bring up the important personal questions we all need to ask ourselves every day, every month and every year. Am I giving out of my "abundance" or like the poor widow, everything I have (in every sense)? I do see some amazing people in our ministry who are not tied down to their riches, but use them to bless others, they live with an open hand, sharing. They give of a commodity many americans have more trouble giving--time--vacations to come and encourage the Mexican church. Our Los Encinos church one Sunday recently, gave an offering of $2,000 for Haiti--these are Mexicans who (the majority) don't have savings accounts, retirement money saved up, they live in very modest houses, etc.
Sorry to be so long-winded...
go wheaton...
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