Mark 10:23-31 (NRSV)

Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!"  And the disciples were perplexed at these words.  But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."  They were greatly astounded and said to one another, "Then who can be saved?"  Jesus looked at them and said, "For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible."  Peter began to say to him, "Look, we have left everything and followed you."  Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age-houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions-and in the age to come eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first."

 

“Then who can be saved?!?”  That is a good question!  Jesus directly provides us with an indirect answer that perplexes his disciples, mystifies us, and makes some churches squirm.  I have been around some Christians that take the word “saved” to an astounding level, as if it were the ONLY reason to believe or go to Church…  I have often been the “smart aleck” and asked “from what” – or "yes, it happened on a Friday about 2000 years ago, but we didn't realize it till Sunday morning..."  knowing full well that it would launch a theological debate about soteriology (the doctrine of salvation through Jesus Christ).  Sorry, I am about nurturing people in the faith, so I'm not into the body count for Christ.  It’s almost as if some folks think the church is about selling some sort of celestial fire insurance (sorry, I won’t rant any longer).  Regardless of what our thoughts are surrounding the subject, we all want to know, “who can be saved?”

The scripture doesn’t say that those that have wealth are out.  Neither does it say you need to be poor.  Jesus just says it will be difficult for the wealthy.  (You have got to love Peter at this point, who has literally given up everything to follow Jesus.)  Jesus does assure us that whatever we give up for the sake of the good news, we will receive a hundredfold and eternal life.  So this makes one think…  what does salvation cost?  I don’t think that we, as mortals, can put a price on it.  It is beyond our understanding and impossible for us, but not impossible for God.  That may be the point of this passage.

To me the passage is saying a lot about the complexity of salvation in a very concise way.  I feel that the passage is trying to say that the way to salvation is a very difficult process, that requires us to unload our burdens, make ourselves vulnerable and submit to a process of formation that will take us against the norms of society.  It all starts with a belief in Jesus as Lord and progresses from there.  I am not saying that it’s anything you must do, but more what must be done to you and an acceptance of what has been done for you.  Jesus is the way to eternal life…  Jesus suffered death on the cross and bore the offenses of the whole world with him (yes, including ours)…  Jesus rose again, putting an end to death…  Those who believe in this are in fact saved (this is assured by scripture in several references).  But is that it?  Is that all there is to it?  That doesn’t feel as difficult as Jesus makes it seem in this passage.  So, the question that I offer now is…  We are saved by belief in the Lord Jesus Christ, what then are we going to do with it?

I feel that the call of the gospel today is formation (not salvation, but formation).  There are many ways to engage a process of formation.  Study, reflection, worship, outreach, sharing, discipleship, whatever you call it…  it’s all participation within the context of a Christian community.  Not home alone, but participating with others who nurture each other and hold each other up as the church.  I feel the gospel calling me to continuous formation, as the living Christ forms, informs, and transforms my life.  Only then can I truly understand the complexity of my salvation, and appreciate the sacrifices Jesus made on my behalf so many years ago.