Earlier this week we had a short conversation about the rich young ruler and his inability to fully grasp what it looks like to follow Christ, because of his wealth. We, however, did not discuss fully this idea so I am writing you a short entry to enrich the possibility of my side of the discussion.
I do this by introducing two ideas; infinite resignation and faith. Both of these ideas I stole from Kierkegaard, but I know that these ideas apply to the story of the rich young ruler. Before I can discuss the story using these ideas I must first define them. Infinite resignation is the decision of following God. It is this negative religious experience that cleans house of all of your idols. This experience is negative because it is uncomfortable and transforms your life through the traditions that are held by the religion. When making this step one learns to renounce these 'worldly' things and even your life. This is the simplistic definition of infinite resignation. However, renouncing your 'worldly' things or even your life is not faith. Faith is the positive step that occurs when the leap of faith is involved. Faith is the life of the absurd. Faith is the continuous prolonged decision to take a leap into the unknown. Into the world of the transcendent. Faith is not a one time decision but is the constant absurdity of knowing that the only thing that can pull you through the absurdity is God himself. While Infinite resignation is vital to the walk of Christ because it causes us to renounce the World, Faith is not the essence of renouncing anything.
So when one looks at Mark 10 the question is not whether the rich man could grasp infinite resignation. Clearly he understood that fully from the first part of the dialogue between him and Jesus. However, that does not mean he grasped the faith of Jesus. This has nothing to do with the renouncing of his wealth but has everything to do with the radical absurdity of life itself which could only truly grasped in his situation by selling all of his things.
However, if the man went and sold all of his things and then gave everything to the poor only in infinite resignation he still would not grasp or understand what faith is. And he would have been blinded by his own deeds. That is why I declare that it is a theology issue.
The man himself looks at infinite resignation as the key to grasping eternal life, but clearly makes his sentiment clear by telling him to take a leap of faith by selling all of his things. But even if he did sell all of his things faith still would not have be fully grasped because faith in turn is a life long process.
This man cannot see that faith and eternity are at all connected because he walks away dismayed. But Jesus makes the connection in the end of this pricope. In the verses of 29-31. These verses bring back the idea that faith, or the absurd life, is clearly connected with the loss of true life.
So while you are correct about giving up something, I think the wealth is not the main point of the gospel. I also don't think that by giving up something you are actually grappling with faith itself. You are simply in the infinite resignation realm of life.
I would thoroughly enjoy continuing this conversation.
yours truly,
best friend.
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