"Good Sheep" -2

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." (Romans 8:14) Another concept of what is Good Sheep, besides that of security, is that of conformity and profitability. For to be considered as something or someone that is lost to someone else, requires that there is a value or worth to that which was lost. The word 'For' at the beginning of Romans 8:14 is very similar to the word 'Therefore', in that it requires us to look at the previous text to see what it is there for. In doing so, we can see how 'Good, Led and Follow' are all interconnected, and how they all point towards the means to be considered 'a son of God'. "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall Live." (Romans 8:12 & 13) Now then, when we consider also the word 'Good' that was used in the address to Jesus by the young man, "Good Master", the word is a description of someone who is of great worth, profitable, benevolent. And as we also consider the word 'Follow', as in "follow Me", we can see that it is a word that means to conform to, as in to resemble the Life of Jesus Christ. Which makes it all the more interesting that Mark's account of this encounter differs from the other two Gospels that record it, in that he adds "take up the cross" to the instruction by Jesus to the young man. It is the concept of what this means to the individual who makes the choice to do this, that brings attention to the cost of suffering for the greater purpose of a passion for God, and for the Love of God. Further more, we can add to that, the description in Mark's Gospel of how Jesus reacted to the young man's statement about having kept the Law since his youth, "Then Jesus beholding him loved him", and we can see the personal connection between the writer and His Shepherd; having come to the understanding, that the real fulfillment of the Law, is Love. In doing so, he can get the greatest meaning of the answer to his original question, "Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" (It is also a good idea to also look at the verses after any given verse!!!) "For ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, the heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together." (Romans 8:15-17)