"Rich Young Ruler" & "Keep the Commandments" - Salvation by Law or Faith?

Concerning the "Rich Young Ruler" in Mt. 19:16-22 and Jesus' Command "Keep the Commandments" for eternal life (Matthew 19:17)...

Responding to the Legalist...

Discussion,

In Matthew 19:17, Jesus was in a theological discourse with a wealthy young man who approached Him asking "What must I 'do' to 'inherit' eternal life."

The very first thing Jesus did, out of compassion, was to provide the young man an opportunity to acquire eternal life by "faith" in Jesus as Messiah-Elohim; that is, Jesus asked, "Why do you call me 'good' seeing that no one is good but Elohim?" Had the young man possessed the faith to acknowledge Jesus as Elohim the Messiah, eternal life would have been granted (Romans 10:13).

Unfortunately, the young man did not recognize Jesus as Messiah; therefore, Jesus provided the only other alternative to eternal life, Jesus commanded, "Keep the Commandments." The young man then assumed himself on fertile ground as he felt himself to be righteous due all of his efforts to keep the Commandments...so he asked Jesus, "Which ones?" Jesus recited a number of moral commands to which the young man boldly and proudly stated that he had kept them...then...Jesus proceeded to demonstrate to the young man that he had NOT kept the Commandments but had failed to keep the Greatest of Commandments...Jesus, once again, provided the young man a second opportunity to find eternal life and commanded the young man to "follow me." Jesus told the young man to sell all of his wealth, distribute it to the poor and "follow me!" Had the young man complied by faith, eternal life would have manifest in the young man's life.

The young man walked away sad and disheartened because he loved his wealth more than Elohim thus demonstrating that he did not keep the Greatest Commandments to love Elohim above all else and to love your neighbor as yourself but the young man had made an idol of his wealth (Matthew 22:36-40).

I tell you this protracted story because you are DEAD WRONG if you think anyone but Jesus keeps the Commandments in perfection (Romans 3:23) which perfection is absolutely necessary if righteousness (a right standing) with Elohim is to manifest (James 2:10) through works of the Law (Galatians 2:16) and you are DEAD WRONG if you think the Law does anything but CURSE the one who seeks righteousness (a right standing with Elohim) through it (Galatians 3:10).

IF YOU DESIRE ETERNAL LIFE YOU MUST HUMBLE YOURSELF AND APPROACH ELOHIM BY FAITH AS AN UNWORTHY SINNER THAT YOU ARE AND ASK FORGIVENESS, REPENT OF YOUR SIN, TRUST FULLY IN JESUS AS YOUR MESSIAH WHO SHED HIS BLOOD FOR THE ATONEMENT OF YOUR SIN AT GOLGOTHA! 1 Peter 1:18-19

Humanity finds righteousness with Elohim NOT by what we do but in Whom we "believe." John 3

Christians "work," they produce divine "fruit" (Galatians 5:22-23), subsequent salvation by faith in Jesus as Christians "walk by the Spirit" (Galatians 5:16) in faith as they love Elohim and honor Him through obedience to the indwelling Holy Spirit, not enslavement to a bygone law covenant (Romans 7:6; Hebrews 8:7).