The Heavenly Account
Mark 10:17-22 17 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”
18 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.
19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ “
20 And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.”
21 Then Jesus, looking at 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 will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”
22 But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
The rich young ruler was a good man, who kept the Law. He had a hunger for spiritual things that motivated him to seek out Jesus and ask about eternal life. It says that Jesus, looking at him, loved him. Jesus saw value in him. And He made the rich young ruler a tremendous offer, although he didn’t recognize it.
“One thing you lack; sell what you have, give it to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven; and come follow Me.” Jesus was calling him to be a follower, a disciple. Maybe not one of His main group (although Judas would need replacing eventually), but at least one of the 70 that followed Him.
“He went away sadly, because he had great possessions.” Maybe a better way to say it would be that his possessions had him. And Jesus saw that.
Mark 10:23-27 23 Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!”
24 And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!
25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?”
27 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”
Look at the disciples’ reaction when Jesus said it was hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God – they were astonished, shocked. In Jewish thinking, God blessed financially those who followed after Him with their whole heart. They thought that way because the Old Testament illustrated it time and again.
You tell a Jew today that to be spiritual, God wants them to be poor, and they’ll laugh at you.
Jesus reiterates His statement, with an important addition – “…how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God.” He uses a figure of speech that was popular in the day – “…it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.”
There are divergent viewpoints on what “the eye of the needle” refers to.
1. In those days they built walls around cities for defense. Big cities would have big, thick walls, with massive gates. At night they would close the gates, and post watchmen on the walls. If someone needed in after dark, they would have to wait at the gate and call to the watchman to ask permission to enter. And a number of the cities had a smaller door cut within the big main gate that was only big enough to let one man through at a time. This smaller gate was called, “the eye of the needle”.
So what if someone showed up on their camel after dark? They would have to get off the camel, and unload it completely, and get it to crouch down and try to squeeze through the opening, which was a very tight fit, if it was possible at all. So the expression arose, “easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle”.
2. A second variation was that the “eye of the needle” referred to a very narrow mountain pass that was frequented by robbers. It was hard to get through it and keep all your stuff.
3. There may have been some confusion in translation. Jesus spoke Aramaic, and the Aramaic word for both “camel” and “rope” is gamla, possibly because the ropes were woven of camel’s hair. Also, it could have been a misprint in Greek, where the Greek word for camel is kamelos (κάμηλος), and a Greek word sometimes used for rope is kamilos. So Jesus could have been saying, “It’s easier for a rope to go through the eye of a needle…”
4. Jesus may just have been using hyperbole purposely, such as when he said to “first remove the log from your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck in your brother’s eye.”
Regardless of what Jesus was truly referring to, the meaning is the same in all cases – something that was difficult or impossible with man, but possible with God.
Trusting in Riches
God has no problem with money in and of itself. Look at the ones He made rich in the Old Testament: the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; Job, David (we know about Solomon’s great wealth but if you study it out you’ll see that the foundation of his wealth was what he inherited from David), Solomon, Joseph.
Money is not inherently good or inherently evil. But in the world’s system, it represents power – power to act and do, power to influence others. It can be used to do good, or to do evil, according to the heart of the person who wields it.
God sees money as a tool; to bless and reward His people, to finance the preaching of the gospel, and to do good and help those in need. Satan also sees money as a tool. He uses it to influence and corrupt people.
One of the things that wealth brings is independence – the rich person is self sufficient. They don’t have to ask someone’s permission when they want to do something, they have the power to do what they want when they want to do it. This can be a good thing – in fact, self sufficiency is one of the promises of prosperity God has for His children.
2 Corinthians 9:8 AMP 8And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need, be self sufficient – possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation.
But with that self sufficiency also comes a danger – the rich person can see himself as his own master, and since he needs no one else, he also does not see the need for God. Secondly, though he may not have a dependence on other people, he will develop a dependence on the riches. His source of well being and hope for the future is his money – he trusts in his riches.
I want to clear up one misconception: that you can’t be spiritual and have a lot of money at the same time. That is how many Christians interpret the story of the rich young ruler. But notice Jesus’ words: “How hard it is for those that trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God.” He didn’t say it was hard for a rich man to be or operate in the kingdom of God. It was hard for them to get in – to transfer their trust from their wealth to God.
Understand that the money was never the issue – it was the attitude of heart.
Mark 10:28-31 28 Then Peter began to say to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You.”
29 So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s,
30 who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time–houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions–and in the age to come, eternal life.
31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Jesus replied that anything we leave for the sake of the gospel – whether they be relationships (brothers, sisters, father, mother, wife, children) or possessions (houses and lands) would be received back multiplied in this lifetime. If that rich young ruler had done what Jesus said and sold what he had and followed Jesus, he wouldn’t have lost his possessions forever – he would have received it back again, and more besides. Jesus was asking him to transfer his treasure from an earthly account to a heavenly one.
Giving an Account
Philippians 4:10-18 10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity.
11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:
12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
14 Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress.
15 Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only.
16 For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities.
17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.
18 Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.
The Phillipian church were Paul’s only partners sending support for a while. He thanks them for the gift, and then says that he seeks the fruit that abounds to their account.
The Greek here is interesting – it is the word lŏ́gŏn which comes from lŏ́gŏs, meaning a word. In the 8 instances in the New Testament where it is translated account, its primary usage is to give an account of yourself, verbally.
A similar word lŏgízōmai is also translated account or counted in some translations, and reckon in the King James version. This is an account in the business sense of the word, a repository which receives debits and credits (withdrawals and deposits), and which has a balance. The most well known use of this word is in Romans 4:3, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness”.
There is a heavenly account. Everybody has one, saved or not. It is the record of our deeds done in the body, our works. And someday, at the judgment, every person will have to give an account of themselves.
Revelation 20:12 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.
The Great White Throne Judgment is where those who are not born again have to give their account. The sin in their lives will give them a huge negative balance, and the good they have done will not be able to offset it. Because it will come down to one question: What did you do with My Son?
When we are born again, something wonderful happens to our account – it is wiped clean.
Colossians 2:13-14 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,
14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
And it is not just that we are given a second chance to start over with a clean slate. After everything is wiped clean, Jesus places a huge deposit in our account – His righteousness. Like Abraham, our faith in Christ is accounted to us as righteousness. And that deposit has the ongoing effect that when we sin and confess it, it no longer is recorded as a strike against us (i.e., a debit). But the good works we do continue to add in as deposits.
We as Christians also have a day of reckoning where we will give an account for what we have done in this life, but it is completely different than the Great White Throne Judgment that the world will face.
1 Corinthians 3:10-15 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.
11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.
14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.
15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
This passage is known as the Judgment Seat of Christ. The foundation is Jesus Christ – this is the deposit that He has made into our accounts. It cannot be reduced. The good works we do are things that build upon this foundation. But those works will be put to the test and the quality judged by some sort of heavenly flamethrower. Those that do not pass the test will be burned up. And for whatever remains, we will receive a reward.
And praise God, even if someone has every work they had burned up, or someone with a deathbed conversion that never has a chance to do good works (like the thief on the cross), they will still have the foundation, which will ensure their entrance into heaven (although some might have the odor of smoke around them).
Making Deposits
- Jesus told the rich young ruler that if he sold his goods and gave it to the poor, he would have treasures in heaven. So giving to the poor is something that would make a deposit in our heavenly account.
- Paul told the Phillipians that their gift to him would cause fruit to abound to their account. So giving to the support the work of the ministry will make deposits.
- Here we have the warning again not to trust in riches, but by giving we store up for ourselves in the world to come.
1 Timothy 6:17-19 17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share,
19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
- Matthew 10:42 says that even if we give a cup of cold water in His name, we would receive a reward. Giving to others in simple acts of kindness also counts.
- Soulwinning brings a reward. 1 Corinthians 3:8
- Suffering persecution for the sake of the gospel brings a great reward.
Matthew 5:11-12 11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
- Loving your enemies, doing good (the. majority of the time, when the Bible talks about doing someone “good”, it means contributing to them monetarily). Lending and expecting nothing in return.
Luke 6:35 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.
- Paul, although he had a right to be supported by the gospel, did not avail himself of that right. He did not take offerings from the people he was preaching to and supported himself and his companions if necessary (he was a tentmaker by trade). He did receive offerings from churches he had already established, once he had moved on to minister in a different area. (1 Corinthians 9:14-18)
Motivation is a key factor in judging the quality of works. In Matthew 6:1-5 Jesus is speaking of the hypocrites who do good works in order to be seen by men. He speaks of people giving alms, or praying. These are both good things. But because they were doing it to receive the praise and recognition of men, that is the only reward they received. This would be an example of a work that is wood, hay, or stubble. A good thing done with the wrong motivation.
1 Corinthians 13:3 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
Love should be the motivating factor behind all our good works. Without it, we have no reward.
What about giving your body to be burned? Jesus did say that there was no greater love than when a man lays down his life for a friend. So how can laying down your life not be an act of love?
How about a suicide bomber? They lay down their lives, but the primary motivation is to destroy, not to help someone. They want to cause death, pain and suffering, and they don’t really care who. It would be one thing if they were only attacking US forces that they viewed as invaders, but they routinely kill their own people and innocents. And in their own twisted way, they feel they are doing “good” and helping their cause, and that God (or Allah) will reward them.
Measuring Quality
Matthew 25:14-30 14 “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them.
15 “To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey.
16 “Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents.
17 “In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more.
18 “But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 “Now after a long time the master of those slaves came* and settled* accounts with them.
20 “The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’
21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’
22 “Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’
23 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’
24 “And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed.
25 ‘And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’
26 “But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed.
27 ‘Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest.
28 ‘Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’
29 “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.
30 “Throw out the worthless [unprofitable] slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
A side journey
There will not be equality, or rather what the world calls “equity” in heaven. By that, I mean that everyone will not have the same reward. We will all have the same base prize – a heavenly home in the presence of God – but the rewards we have earned from our works will be different.
This world has been pushing towards socialism – where everybody gets the same results regardless of effort. Where some of the fruits of the labor of the large producers is taken away and given to the low producers so there is “equity”. What we see in the parable of the talents is that effort is what is rewarded. The five talent servant and the two talent servant made equal effort, and even though one out produced the other in results, they both received the same reward. On the other hand, the servant that made no effort was called wicked and lazy and what he had was taken away and given to the top producer.
Socialism on a large scale on earth is impractical for two reasons – limited resources, and the sin of mankind. If you took all the wealth of the entire world and distributed it to each person equally, what would be the quality of living we would all have? I’m not sure I know the answer to that, but my suspicion is that it would not be all that great.
The main problem with socialism is that it removes the motivation to produce. If the wealth of the top producers is taken away and given to the low producers, why expend the extra effort needed to be a top producer? And on the other end of the scale, if the government is just going to give it to me, why should I expend the effort to work hard to be a producer? The end result is if the top producers expend less effort and the low producers are not motivated to produce at all, less resources are fed into the pool and the quality of life of everyone drops. You see that happening in every country that has tried to put socialism or communism into practice on a national level. So we see the major problem is the attitudes of people.
The Bible is very clear that a person should enjoy the fruit of their labors and laziness is “punishable” with poverty. But the Bible is also clear that those who have a surplus should share with those who are lacking.
Heaven has achieved the goals of socialism in that everyone there is brought up to a high level of quality of life. There are no poor people in heaven, everybody is rich. But it did not get there through the redistribution of wealth. It is there because another source that has unlimited resources – God Almighty – is supplying it. He has invited us into His world.
To be continued in Part Two…
