As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: 'You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother.'" He replied and said to him, "Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth." Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, "You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to (the) poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" The disciples were amazed at his words. So Jesus again said to them in reply, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through (the) eye of (a) needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God." (Mk 10:17-27)
No one is good except God alone. In the creation stories we read in the book of Genesis that when Go created the world he found it good. Every day after creation he found his creation to be good. But here Jesus says that no one is good except God alone. By this Jesus says that goodness is not a quality of man or of any creature. But goodness is the basic quality of God and the creatures get their goodness only from God. God is the source of all goodness. That is why he says God alone is good.
Jesus looked at the young man and loved him. He loved him for his sincerity and truthfulness. The young man meant what he said. He was pious man and observed all the commandments of God. Does Jesus mean by this that youth in general are not very observant of the rules? I do not think so. Probably Jesus meant to say that it is enough that you are young for me to love you. Because, the young man has all the possibilities and potentials to reach the highest goal (God). Only material wealth can prevent him.
"For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God." Salvation is a gift of God. It cannot be acquired by man by his knowledge, talents, and hard work. It is totally a gratuitous gift of God.
