Eternal Life is the eluding question that haunts the human condition. We all know innately that we have a part of our being that can never die like our physical body. What happens when the physical body ceases? Does this immaterial part of ourselves die with it? Innately we all know without fully knowing why that the immaterial part of ourselves can and will live on. The question we all seek an answer to is how?

Possession seems to be the fundamental flaw of this man’s inquiry. Parallel passages to Matthew’s account [Mark 10:17-31 & Luke 18:18-30] show us the same flaw but other details too.

Are we too willing to hold on to our security blankets? Our pacifiers? Our worldly comforts? Over the harsh realities of obedience to the gospel? Obedience to Christ Jesus?

Jesus himself suffered many things for our eternal security. Yet too many look for the ‘greasy grace’ the ‘easy believism’ that tickles the ears and brings us security and hope in our own free-will efforts to ‘do good’

The interaction by this young man with the King of the Universe shows that eternal life is not easy to ‘obtain’ … it is not obtainable at all for it is not a possession. Eternal life is a journey with Christ. It is the goal by which we long to end as we walk with Jesus in his suffering. The road to ‘perfection’ is the road of pruning and shaping and trusting.

The verses following will carry this theme of worldly possessions and the rich entering the kingdom of heaven to a deeper understanding of “Who then can be saved?” It is obvious that this rich young ruler could not save himself because the commandment that he sought turned out to be too hard to bear.

What burden is holding you back from fully embracing Christ Jesus

and HIS gift of salvation and eternal life?