Did Jesus teach that we could obtain eternal life by keeping the commandments? Yes, he did. But the problem is that no one keeps the commandments because the standard is perfection.
Deut. 27:26, “Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.'”
Gal. 3:10, “For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM.”
We can see from the word of God that the standard of keeping the commandments is to keep all of them and if you don’t keep them all, you are cursed. So, was the rich young ruler mentioned in the passage under discussion keeping the commandments as he said he was? Let’s take a look at all three of the accounts in the synoptic Gospels.
Conclusion
In these verses the rich young ruler believes that keeping the law will get him eternal life since he asks Jesus what good thing should he do to obtain eternal life, (Matt. 19:16; Mark 10:17, Luke 18:19). Jesus responds according to the man’s requests and cites several of the 10 Commandments (Matthew 19:18-19; Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20). However, in the Matthew account, Jesus also quotes from Leviticus 19:18, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The man boasts that he has kept those commandments. But, had he really kept them? Jesus knew the Old Testament Law where it states that the standard of keeping the Law is perfection (Deuteronomy 27:26). In fact, Paul the apostle quotes Dt. 27:26 in Galatians 3:10 when he says, “For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law to perform them.” So, when Jesus cites the commandments to the rich young ruler and includes Lev. 19:18 about loving his neighbor as himself, this is when we can see that he was not keeping the commandments, even though the young man boasted that he had been keeping them. So, by his own standard, the rich young ruler was exposed is failing (Matt. 7:2). Nevertheless, can anyone achieve salvation by keeping the commandments? Yes. But you have to keep them perfectly (Deut. 27:26; Gal. 3:10; James 2:10). Since no one keeps them perfectly (Rom. 3:23), no one can achieve salvation by keeping the commandments (Rom. 3:28; 4:5; Gal. 2:16, 21).
“And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. (Matt 19:16-22)”
