Daily Devotionals

Mar 12:34 Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”…

In communication, it is always important to reiterate your understanding by repeating back what you’ve heard or received. This gives the speaker an opportunity to either correct or confirm that your understanding. A Scribe in vs 28 heard Jesus reasoning with skeptics particularly those who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. Having perceived that Jesus answered them well, he sought for better understanding of the commandments. Jesus gave him the summary of the law, love God and love people. In vs 32-34 the scribe believed the truth and reiterated. Jesus confirmed to and told him that he was not far from the kingdom.

The parable of the sower in Mat 13:23 tells of different kinds of soils. The good soil is equated with he who hears and understands. Unlike the rest who questioned Jesus, this scribe had a different spirit and made him a candidate for salvation for he was not far off. We enter the kingdom of heaven through conversion. We are not far from the kingdom of God when awakened by God’s truth, but still unconverted. The scriptures as Paul explains to Timothy only make you wise in preparation for salvation (2Tim 3:15). Conversion is the essential nature for a new birth, and to be not far from the kingdom of God is to be on the way to the new birth, but not yet born again. Cornelius in Acts 10 was not far from the kingdom. His heart was ready and in humility, God sent Peter to preach the gospel to Him. Jas 4:6 “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, but He gives grace to the humble”