What does the Bible say about eternal life and good works?
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The Bible teaches that eternal life cannot be earned through good works, as salvation is impossible with man, but possible with God.
In Mark 10:17-30, a rich young ruler seeks to understand how he might inherit eternal life, asking Jesus what good thing he must do. Jesus responds by pointing him to the commandments, highlighting that salvation cannot be earned through obedience to the law or good deeds. The rich young ruler believed he had kept the commandments since his youth, but Jesus reveals that true salvation requires a complete reliance on God, not on personal achievements. The impossibility of salvation through works is emphasized in the disciples' astonishment at Jesus' words, leading to the realization that with men it is impossible, but not with God, for with God all things are possible (Mark 10:27).
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