Far Yet Near

Purpose Media Productions

Near Yet Far

When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Mark 12:34

This is an amazing story of a scribe, a lawyer and teacher of the law who came to try or test Jesus. The Pharisees were seeking a way to trap Jesus by His words so they can hand Him over to the authorities for Him to be executed. The man in question was among those who volunteered to carry out that assignment. He came and asked Jesus what was the greatest commandment in the law. There is a great application here for us for there are so many just like this man who appear to be interested in the things of God but are not in any way in consonance with God Himself. They can appear to be interested in the law of God like this man but not seeking the God of the law. The Pharisees at one time condemned Jesus for breaking the Sabbath and Jesus was making it clear to them that I am the Lord of the Sabbath, (by implication that He is the Sabbath, the fulfilment of the Sabbath and the giver of the Sabbath) yet they couldn’t understand. Their zeal was propelling them to persecute the Word and the giver of the word (law) which they claimed to uphold.

It makes my heart fear and bleed that it is possible to carry the Bible (God’s word) all about and even be preaching from it for years and yet not be a Christian. It is possible to feign as a lover of the word of God and yet hate the God of the word passionately, most times ignorantly. If that be the case, everyone needs to review critically, what makes one a Christian. The time is running out and it is dangerous to assume. It is a great presumption to think that Jesus is in the camp when He is far gone.

Jesus, the loving and ever incomprehensible teacher answered his question, not with bitterness or rage. He knows the hearts of man. He patiently showed him the way as he does not know the way that leads to life. Jesus said that fulfilling the law was to love God with everything that one is and has and to love one’s neighbour as himself. After Jesus had answered his questions, he made an excellent remark on Jesus’ response in verses 32-33. His response was fantastic and highly theological. In answer to His response, Jesus said, You are not far to the kingdom of God. Why? He has made some amazing doctrinal statements. Jesus responded to those statements that if the man had really believed what he was saying, they would have brought him to the kingdom of God. If he had believed his propositions, he would have loved and received Jesus because Jesus is God, and if he had loved his neighbor as himself, he would not seek to trap Jesus to his death just as he had done.

It is possible to have the slogan of Christianity and dress in, permit me to say what we have come to know the “Christian manner or pattern of dressing,” although Biblically, there is nothing like that. The stress however is that it is possible to do these things and yet not be a Christian. These people are near, yet far just as Jesus told this young man. By your declaration, you appear to be very near to the kingdom of God but betrayed by what you really believe. Christianity is shallow today simply because the gospel is lost. The gospel is the transformational power of God to salvation.

Finally, we actually need to examine ourselves where we belong 2 Cor. 13:8. It is not just enough to be playing church and external religion. The question needs to be asked and honestly answered, “Am I really a Christian?”

© Purpose Media Publications, 2020