I have always thought that Jesus requires obedience as a requirement for salvation:
17 ¶ And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honor thy father and mother.
20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. (Mark 10:17–22)
It appears to me that not only must we obey the Ten Commandments to inherit eternal life; we are also called to "take up the cross" and follow Jesus.
Am I missing something?
Yes you are...You posted yourself that the requirement is to sell everything you have and give it to the poor...That is just as large and important a requirement than 'thou shall not kill'...If you don't sell everything, you can't have eternal life...
And in Mat. it says if you don't visit people in prison, you won't have eternal life...
Mar 10:26 And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?
Reasonable question...The same one you have???
Mar 10:27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
There's the answer...This is a little bit of prophecy...There's NOTHING you can do to get or earn salvation...It is God's gift to you (us)...But it won't be fully revealed until the Apostle Paul reveals the 'mystery' of the church...
I have always thought that Jesus requires obedience as a requirement for salvation:
He did...Obedience to the Law AND Faith in Him...It's there in the scripture...And when you see that in the bible, it is spoken to the Jews (for the most part)...Salvation is of the Jews...
Joh 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
But then what does the Apostle Paul say about obedience???
Paul says we must be obedient to the 'Faith', not the law...But then Paul was teaching salvation to Gentiles, not the Jews...And you'll see in the biblical context, obedience to the faith is believing in Jesus Christ and trusting Him as your Savior...
Remember that thru the Law is the knowledge of sin...But Paul says we are not justified by the Law...
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
That is Jesus' righteousness...So do we obey the Law or obey the rightousness of Christ...And what is the rightousness of Christ??? That He was sinless and gave his sinlessness to us sinners free of charge...
You'll notice that many references to obedience shows that obedience is to the 'faith'...Faith in Jesus Christ, not the Law...And then Paul says,
Rom 15:18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,
Paul knew that Jesus taught salvation by faith AND works...And although Paul knew it, it wasn't given to him by Jesus to teach that to the Gentiles...