The Rich Young Man (part 2)

When dealing with the problem of the Rich Young Man, it is not wrong to say that he needs a change of heart first before he can ever overcome his idolatry of wealth. But let's clarify the details of what a "change of heart" is, and also the actions that necessarily must follow.

"Change of heart" is a vague term that I'd like to separate into two different components. They are "decision" and "repentance". Here's what they look like to me.

"Decision" is when a man realizes he is an idolater, and decides to stop being an idolater. He sees how poisonous wealth can be, and is convicted by Scripture, his heart breaks, and he decides to do something about it. The point of decision is when the man prays to God, "Lord, I've been an idolater, and I don't want to be an idolater anymore."

"Repentance" is different because it's usually a progressive act. You may also call it "sanctification". It is in this stage where the man might give away his possessions, and rearrange his life to remove the temptations of wealth.

Making a heart and mind decision to not be an idolater doesn't make you a non-idolater. My guess is that the love of money is a problem many Christians struggle with, even though they've made honest decisions to flee this temptation. In other words, that "decision" to flee idolatry doesn't necessarily mean that your heart has changed much. It is, however, the crucial first step.

Now, let's simplify. A rich man could decide to give up his idolatry of wealth, but his heart probably won't change in that instant. Furthermore, for his heart to change, it must go through a process of repentance which in this case would most likely involve the sacrifice of his wealth.

In conclusion, while I'd like to affirm that it is indeed the heart-issue which is of primary importance, it is not of singular importance. In fact, when regarding the issue of "repentance" as "change of heart", the heart-issue and action-issue have a sort of chicken and egg relationship. How could Jesus possibly expect the Rich Young Man to actually have a change of heart (repent) with his wallet still full? It is still my belief that if the Rich Young Man made a decision to flee idolatry, Jesus would've instructed him to get rid of the idols in his life.