The Rich Man's Inheritance

I am reading the account of the Rich Young Ruler this morning. If you do not remember the account, it can be found in Mark 10:17-31.

This rich man runs up to Jesus and asks Him what he must do to inherit eternal life. Wow, this is a good question. Jesus lays out for the rich man an array of commandments. He does not tell the man to keep the commandments, he merely says to the man, "you know the commandments."

The man is quick to tell Jesus that he has kept every commandment that Jesus quoted, ever since he has been a little boy. But had he? He thinks he has but Jesus knows the heart behind every commandment from God; and He goes there with the man.

"You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."

What has Jesus told us that every commandment can be boiled down to? Matt 22:37-40 And he said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." All of the commandments can be boiled down into 2 pots; the love of God, and the love of neighbor.

The Rich Young Ruler said he had never murdered anyone, but had he promoted their life? Meaning, did he use his riches to promote the health and well being of his fellow man? The man said he had never stolen from anybody, but had he given to his fellow man freely to meet their needs? Had he loved God enough to do these things? No, he had not, and Jesus gets at the heart of the matter with the rich man.

The man was not willing to do as Jesus asks, and he goes away without having the inheritance of eternal life. Though he does have an inheritance. The riches he possesses were probably passed down to him by his Father as his inheritance. So which inheritance do you suppose is better?