Matthew 19, Mark 10, and Luke 18 all record the heartbreaking account of the man we only know as the rich young ruler. This young man approached Jesus, seeking to inherit eternal life. Through their conversation, the young man demonstrated that he was unable to acknowledge his sin, an essential component of repentance. Jesus, out of love for the man, told him that to be saved he must sell his possessions and give his wealth to the poor. And with that, the young man left grieving, having demonstrated the sin that he had denied moments before. Could the story have ended differently?
The answer lies in the account of Jesus healing a boy with a demon, found in Mark 9. The boy's father came to Jesus pleading for his son, saying: "if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us" (Mark 9:22). Jesus answered that "all things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9:23). And the next verse holds the key. In verse 24 the boy's father did what the rich young man would not: he confessed his need for help. "I do believe; help my unbelief," he cried. And as He still does for each of us who throw ourselves on His mercy and call on His name, Jesus responded.
I believe that had the rich young ruler confessed his sin to Jesus, and even his difficulty letting it go, and asked for help, that the story would have ended differently. Come into the light with Jesus, confessing your sin, even asking for help with those vices that we find it so impossible to let go of. We know that "without faith it is impossible to please Him" (Hebrews 11:6). The boy's father did not walk away grieving his inability to please Jesus, but instead he confessed and asked for help. I have often seen people laugh at the father because he told Jesus: "I do believe; help my unbelief," an apparent contradiction. I don't believe that his "I do believe" was a denial of his unbelief. I believe that it was his acceptance of what Jesus had just said to him, that "All things are possible to him who believes," which makes far more sense given that in the same sentence he went on to ask for help with his unbelief. In the same way, we can humbly accept Jesus' Word that He will help if we will only trust Him.
So even though Jesus Himself pointed out "How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God" (Mark 10:23-25), He made sure to let us know that "With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God" (Mark 10:27).
"When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus" (Matthew 27:57). Thank you, Lord!