The rich young man in Matthew 19 said, “Lord, what must I do to gain eternal life?” Jesus showed him the path: he had to be a person who obeyed the law; he must be obedient to the commandments. This rich young man was not only wealthy but also devout in the eyes of religious society. He said, “I have kept all of them, Lord. What do I still lack?” Jesus did not deny it; He acknowledged that he had obeyed the law. But when he asked, “What do I still lack?”, Jesus saw that he desired a greater portion — a more perfect life. So, Jesus said to him, “Sell all you have, give to the poor, come, and follow Me.” If that man had done what Jesus commanded, would he have become perfect instantly? Certainly not. Would he immediately be free from his attachment to wealth? Impossible. He had lived with the mindset of his environment; he could not have changed instantly. But if only he dared to say, “Yes, Lord,” surely the Lord would have led him.
That is why Jesus said in Luke 14:33, “Whoever does not give up everything he has cannot be My disciple.” Let go first — commit first, but this does not mean we must literally leave our houses or give all our money to the church. No. What is meant is the commitment that God calls us to and belongs to Him. One hundred percent of our lives belong to Him, not to ourselves. We want to live holy, blameless, and spotless. We live only to serve God. The world is not our home; our home is in heaven, and we want to return there. That comes first.
If we do not dare to commit, we will never truly change. That is why Hebrews 12:1 says, “Lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily entangles.” Some may ask how to lay aside burdens and sin, for it is difficult. We must commit first, fixing our eyes on Jesus; only then can the Father discipline us. But if we are honest, we fear making such a commitment — especially if we have become suspicious of the church. Yet this commitment does not force us to give money to the church or become a pastor. When talking at this level, the subject of tithing is not even relevant. That is not the issue. Our whole life belongs to God. Besides, God does not concern Himself with whether we are merchants or preachers in the pulpit; God concerns Himself with the attitude of our hearts.
Servants of God are very susceptible to using God’s name for personal or organizational advantage. Anyone can use God’s name. But now we understand that what matters is becoming the bride of Christ. We must dare to cut off everything. We must have this commitment first, then God will shape us. Attending church with all its activities is useless and meaningless if we do not have this commitment. After many years as Christians—becoming elders, activists, and even pastors—we will never reach the peak God desires if the commitment is missing. How do we fulfill it? Learn from the Lord Jesus. That is why Scripture says in Romans 8:12-14 that “we are debtors,” not to live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. In Romans 7, the Word of God says, “With my mind I serve the law of God, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.”
Therefore, in Matthew 19, the rich young man eventually went away, and Jesus did not lower His standard. Jesus is not like a merchant in the market who negotiates. The standard of Christian life in the early church was not reduced, even though it was a newborn church. God shaped the atmosphere so that the situation was “elevated” — intensified — but the standard was not changed. At that time, there was still no New Testament Bible, no church bylaws, and no established doctrine. Today, we have such a great inheritance of faith that it should open our eyes to understand what God wants.
Leaving the world does not mean giving up all wealth and handing it to the church. Leaving the world means, first, that our hearts are not attached to it. We may enjoy the world without being bound by it; the world must not determine our happiness. Second, we must not be bound by the flesh. Sex and food can be enjoyed, but distortion is evil. Do not distort. The Holy Spirit will lead us. There must first be a commitment to leave the world — only then will God lead us.