Close, but Not Close Enough
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November 1, 1995

Close, but Not Close Enough

by Alistair Begg

Mark 12:28–34
 (ID: 0549)

In Mark 12, the man who questioned Jesus about which commandment was greatest was close to the kingdom—but not close enough! As Alistair Begg explains, he was not far off because of his orthodoxy. He had the right answers, but he did not have what was necessary: a transformed life marked by a whole-hearted love. Still today, orthodoxy and religious interest won’t get us to heaven. We enter only because Jesus has made it possible.

Topics:
Mark 12:28–34

The Great Commandment

28uAnd one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29Jesus answered, “The most important is, v‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, wthe Lord is one. 30And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31xThe second is this: y‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment zgreater than these.” 32And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that whe is one, and athere is no other besides him. 33And to love him with all the heart and with all bthe understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, cis much more than all dwhole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” eAnd after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Copyright © 2024, Alistair Begg. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.

Alistair Begg
Alistair Begg is Senior Pastor at Parkside Church in Cleveland, Ohio, and the Bible teacher on Truth For Life, which is heard on the radio and online around the world.