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Right Answers Don't Equate to a Right Relationship



Often times, I wonder if there is a greater opportunity somewhere to spread the gospel. Daily I'm surrounded by people who claim salvation and already know about God and his plan for redemption. It's not like I can share Christ with my lost co-workers because, in the ministry, a personal relationship with Him is a job requirement. We tell our students and their parents daily about God and his goodness. Most of them claim salvation, so I wondered, is there somewhere else God can use me so I can be more effective in sharing the message of salvation to those who need it?

Several days ago, my daily Bible reading brought me to Mark 12:28-34. Here Jesus is answering a group of Sadducees who are adamantly trying to trap Him with His words. Jesus admonishes them to uphold God as their first love and to love their neighbors. These, He says are the greatest commandments. Then one scribe acknowledges Jesus' superior answer by reiterating Christ's words, directly correlating them to the Scriptures. Here, we are obviously caught in conversation between the Savior and a man well-educated in God's word.

 It was verse thirty-four that caught my attention. "And when Jesus saw that he answered him discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God." The word discreetly means intelligently. This man knew the law and the commandments and all things pertaining to sacrifices and burnt-offerings, and he knew all the right answers, yet Jesus called him out on his lost state by telling him that he was "not far from the kingdom of God." He was close, but not in! 

The last part of the verse is very sad to me. It reads, "And no man after that durst ask him any question." I have to believe that this scribe was just one more question away from the light of salvation, but, for whatever reason, he did not ask. Perhaps he let the pride of his own "knowledge" block his path to a true relationships with the Savior. Maybe he was intimidated by the crowd of learned men around him. Maybe he was satisfied enough by just having the right answers.

My job requires me and the other staff members to constantly drill into students and parents God's Word. Sometimes it seems like preaching to the choir. Most of those to whom we teach over and over, claim salvation, so it all seems repetitious and pointless. But, after reading this verse, my objective has come back into focus. Right answers don't always equate to a right relationship with the Savior. We must keep preaching and teaching the Gospel to those God has put before us, because you never know the heart of a person based on the number of right answers he gives. Perhaps all he needs is one more opportunity to hear and answer salvation's call.
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