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The New Zealand Evangelist

“One Thing Thou Lackest.”—Mark X., 21.—

One Thing Thou Lackest.”—Mark X., 21.—

And we read of but one thing. He is charged with no other defect, and this, in the estimation of the world, page 179 was not a deadly sin. He was guilty of no gross immorality. He had committed no murder, no robbery, or adultery, or fornication. We do not read that he was convicted of fraud or dishonesty. It is probable he was in the habit of paying all his debts with becoming fidelity.

He is not charged with drunkenness, or slander, or falsehood. It was no where intimated that he was wanting in attention to his family, or to the necessities of the poor. In all these respects the presumption is, his conduct was entirely praiseworthy. He must have been a man of uncommon correctness in his moral deportment; remarkably amiable in his temper and conduct; for it is said of him, that the Saviour loved him; and of himself he said “all the commandments have I kept from my youth up.”

But the eye of the Saviour, looking not upon the external conduct, but upon the heart, discovered in him at least one defect. He lacked one thing to make him a perfect man. And small as this defect appeared to him, in the estimation of God, it was a great matter. It was a damning defect. He lacked one thing; but this was just the thing which he most needed. He lacked the one thing needful; and lacking this, he lacked every thing. All his other good qualities, however desirable in themselves, were rendered valueless. They did not, in the estimation of God, weigh one feather. Being guilty in one point, he was guilty of all. And hence his condemnation was as necessary, and as inevitable, as that of Judas.