THIS RICH ruler asked Jesus one of the most important questions of life. He came running to Jesus and fell on his knees to Jesus. The urgency of this man is certainly impressive.
Can a person actually do enough to earn his right of inheritance? Or is the answer found in our "being" or "becoming"? Suppose we were able to "keep" the commandments. Does this qualify us for inheritance? Not according to Jesus.
The real question is : "Is goodness merely the act of obeying?" Or must we develop a quality of being, making us to look and be more Godlike? Developing the ability to "follow the rules" really permits us only to do as we are told. A great athlete not only plays the game well, but also develops a quality of life that causes observers to want to be the kind of person the athlete was in order to conquer the game.
The "stuff" we earn or gain often serves only to gain control over us. Goodness never consists of the thing that possesses us; goodness cons ist s of the way we learn to live. Paul summarizes the thought: "The love of money is a root of evil."