Rich Ruler and Jesus Christ

Remember the story about the rich ruler? Jesus looked after the rich young ruler as he walked away, but Jesus did not follow him or attempt to coerce him. Jesus wants people make their own moral choices; and Christ knew this and permitted rich ruler to go his own chosen way. Jesus is saying that He cannot do our repenting for us. He died for our sins, now it is up to us to pick up the cross. "Salvation is free, ... but discipleship will cost you your life." (Dietrich Bonhoeffer) A disciple must understand that God is both holy and loving; that I am a sinner, are made in the image of God; that Christ's death was the substitute payment for my sin; and that because of Jesus' payment, I am granted access to the heart of God. Luke 14:27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

God is Spirit and He knows us.. we can know Him too.

God is spirit and faith is required to know Christ and then, the Holy Spirit will reveal who God really is. The Holy Spirit manifests Christ into our human spirit, not to our physical eyes. Without the Holy Spirit, human pride often create the confusions and seeing contradictions that are plainly outside the field of human understanding. There are people who keep saying that the Bible contradicts because there are many doubters in this world requiring proof, if by knowledge means facts. These doubters often do not trust the Holy Spirit. Therefore, those who believe that the Bible contradicts should blame themselves for unbelief when their trouble is nothing more than inability to visualize. The Bible cannot be comprehended by the human mind alone. We are to rely on the Holy Spirit which will give us divine revelation that will assures us that certain things are true which our human imagination cannot grasp. With the help from the Holy Spirit, we believe but we cannot see in the human mind's eyes. Christian faith is inward, not outward. It is of the spirit and not of the flesh. The kingdom of God is within you, Christ dwells in your heart, and "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27) is the burning core of the Christian faith. So Christianity, the true Christian faith, is inward in nature--we are to be inwardly Christians. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.-Matthew 23:12 I try not to make it is my place as a Christian to stand around making judgments and calling other Christians "hypocrites." Only Jesus Christ is the only one who know who really are Christians by His definition. Its really humble to know that God knows the secrets of every person's heart! Remember, of the 12 disciples Christ have chosen, Jesus knew in advance of ONE who would be a hypocrite. A hypocrite is an actor, somebody who is playing a part for whatever the motive is.