<TITLE>08. Par 102-110</TITLE>L-102 Perhaps, first, his mother had taught him as a little boy the things that he should do. His father had made him such a fine success, and maybe left him an--left him an inheritance, because he was a ruler himself; perhaps his father was gone, so he was a--a businessman. He was a... Let's call him, today, like a Christian businessman; or, he was a religious businessman, I think would be the best quotation.

L-103   This man was religious, he was by no means an infidel. And he had been taught by his mother how to do right, how to walk, how to dress himself. He had been taught by his father, a great business, and how to be a successful man; and his business was successful. And father and mother had been raised up in the church, and had pointed him to the priest. And the priest had made him a real religious man. Therefore he was a fine cultured man, he was a fine boy with good character.

L-104 If Jesus Christ looked at him and loved him, there was something about the boy was real. Right. For the Bible said here, we find out in Mark, "And Jesus beholding him, loved him." Yeah, "Jesus beholding him, loved him." So therefore there must be something real outstanding about this young fellow. He was a... had a good character, and a good character rating. He was a man that was raised right; intelligent, smart, intellectual, successful in business, and a religious man. He had a lot of good characteristics that was outstanding, so much that it attracted the attention of Jesus Christ the Saviour. But when he was confronted, being successful in all these other things...

L-105   Nothing had went wrong; he was perfectly cut out right, measured up right, intelligent, right education, his success, he was smart, a fine businessman, probably belonged to a businessman's group somewhere there in Palestine. He might have belonged to a businessman's fellowship like we have here tonight, no doubt he did, because businessman has always had fellowships with another, one with the other.

L-106 Cause just like "birds of a feather," they have things to talk about. And if this... The religious men, they don't want to talk about the man that runs the barroom and the... all of them together, 'cause they have nothing in common. We've got to have things in common. So Christians has things in common with Christians; sinners has things in common with--with sinners; and--and societies, and whatever they are, they have things in common. And this young boy probably belonged to a--a businessman's fellowship.

L-107   And he was religious as he could be, because Jesus, in questioning here, he said, "I have kept these commandments, observed them all from my youth." That's right.

L-108 See, he had been brought up right, taught right, and everything. But when he was confronted with the--the thought of Eternal Life... Now I want you to notice, with all this character that he had, he yet knew he did not possess Eternal Life.

L-109   Now, all of our societies, our church, our membership and the things that we hold so dear, our American societies, and everything, is very fine, there's nothing to be said against that. And our Christian Business Men's society here, is a great thing, it's been a open door for me to... on my interdenominational thoughts that "we are Christians."

L-110 There is no one (no one denomination) can claim us, a real Christian, because you belong to God. Denominations are manmade, and Christianity is Heaven-sent. But in all these things that we have, as good as they are, as fine as we come together, and as nice of meetings as we have, and social understanding that we have, yet we're each one confronted with Eternal Life. And no matter how successful we've been in business, how successful we been, and what a great church member we are, and how we work, how we try to do things right, still, if it's not done in the right way, it is a worship of God in vain.


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