The Bible Says…

by C. Eldon McNabb

In Mark 10:17 and following, we are told that a man of great wealth came to Jesus, inquiring of how he might inherit eternal life. When Jesus told him that he would have to sell everything he had and give it to the poor, he went away grieved.

In verses 23 and 24, the Bible says, "And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!"

It is interesting that the editors of the NIV® have left out the phrase which I have italicized. In so doing, they have left us to believe that it is hard for everyone to "enter into the kingdom of God." Their "version" of that statement says, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God."

You might say, "They only left out six words." Yes, and if you don’t have a copy of the Holy Bible with those six words in it, you can not live by "every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." It makes one wonder how many words these modern "Scribes" have removed from the words of our Lord. Is it possible that they have left out thousands of times that many words?

It is actually very easy to enter into the kingdom of heaven, because The Bible Says, in Psa. 34:18, "The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." That is the "hard" part. Can we, — will we — toss our pride aside and humble ourselves before God, begging His forgiveness for our offences against Him? If we will, we might even receive an abundant entrance "into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Pet. 1:11) &