Ray Comfort, Paul Washer, and John Macarthur have taught this heretical teaching that this man’s works were not enough for salvation, which is why he was not saved. But, how does this support salvation by faith only (Ephesians 2:8-9)?
Matthew 19:16-21 “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.
In the following passage, Paul says that Christians have to present themselves a living sacrifice and not to be conformed, which means that these saved believers did not surrender all.
Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world”
To resolve this, Jesus spoke to the Jews in Matthew 19, and He had not yet died on the cross to save them. Throughout the Old Testament, there were many rules and works that the Jews had to work on to get saved. But that is not the case for Christians in this age.