1. Sell all is NOT required for Heaven, it is High calling for Disciples
The truth of eternal life is that you must obey the commandments of Jesus to gain eternal life. So, did Jesus really say every Christian believer must sell all? Dishonest religious people use this topic to oppose Jesus’s message that obeying His commandments is the fundamental requirement to go to heaven. If a sincere believer or disciple shares this truth, deceivers try to trap them by saying ‘Jesus said to sell all your belongings, so, have you sold all?’ The intention of this question is to trap sincere Christians into denying that obeying Jesus is mandatory for eternal life. Crooked people who ask such questions are indirectly saying that most believers do not and will not follow the teaching to sell all, and so, obeying Jesus’s other teachings is also not possible nor required to enter heaven. However, according to the Bible, Jesus did NOT command EVERY believer to sell all to go to heaven. BUT Jesus did preach it is mandatory for every believer to become righteous and obey His commandments from the heart to gain eternal life. He also taught a higher calling of forsaking all and following Him to select people including his faithful disciples who desire more glory and reward in heaven. As an example of this higher calling, he invited a rich ruler to sell all, give to the poor, and follow Him. So, Jesus’s teaching to sell all is only for those who God invites for the high calling; those who desire more eternal reward must be willing and able to pay the cost.

2. God will be Righteous Judge; Do good & go to Heaven, Do evil & go to Hell
The key to correctly understanding the teaching to ‘sell all’ is first understanding God’s character especially at judgement time. Revelations 16:5,7 it says, "Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus...Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments." Scripture emphasizes righteousness as a core attribute of God’s character, and these verses say that God is righteous because of the way He judges. God will judge and reward every soul according to what good or evil they did. In John 5:28-30 Jesus says, "...for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation… and my judgment is just." God’s just judgement is that if you did good by obeying the commandments of Jesus you will be rewarded with eternal life in heaven, and if you did evil by disobeying the commandments of Jesus you will be rewarded with eternal damnation in hell. Please notice that because God will be a righteous judge, He does not have unending mercy and unconditional forgiveness. Pastors who preach a Jesus of limitless love who welcomes sinning churchgoers into heaven are preaching Satan’s deception of another Jesus. It is because God is good, fair, and just, that He will pour His wrath and punishment on evil, disobedient souls. It is proof that God is indeed righteous.

3. God is NOT Respecter of Persons; All souls judged according to what they did
Many churchgoers are deceived into believing that God will have special favor towards them and overlook their sin simply because they have church centered lives of attending services, paying offering, and declaring love and thanks to God. But God does not want shows of religious activity, He is not bought by money offerings given to celebrity preachers, and He is not flattered by empty words. Every soul is God’s creation, and every soul will be judged according to God’s criteria of whether they did good or did evil in this present life. Romans 2:5-11 says, "...the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that …do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honor, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God." God’s standard in judging every soul is whether they chose to obey His truth to do righteous, holy deeds or chose to disobey His truth to do unjust, filthy deeds. God has no preference for Jews over Gentiles or Christians over non-Christians. Glory and peace in heaven is for those who do good, suffering and torment in hell is for those who do evil.

God’s standard for eternal judgement will not change to favor churchgoers. Scripture tells us repeatedly that God is not a respecter of persons. Acts 10:34-35 says, "…Of a truth I perceive that God is not a respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him." 1 Peter 1:17 says, "And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear." God is not a respecter of persons means He will be a righteous judge with no partiality, no bias, and no favoritism for one soul over another. A churchgoing Christian who does unrighteous deeds will be cast in hell and a non-Christian who fears God and follows their conscience to do righteous deeds will go to heaven. 1 Peter 3:12 says, "For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil." So, God is not for Christians and against non-Christians. God is for the righteous whether they be Christian or not, and God is against the evil whether they be Christian or not. God’s eyes and ears are open to save those who are righteous from the heart and obey His commandments.

4. Eternal rewards given in Proportion to the measure of your Works
The bare minimum requirement to escape hell and get into heaven is repent and become righteous. 1 Peter 4:18 says, "And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" Righteousness is the minimum requirement for eternal life, but going to heaven or hell is not a pass/fail system. In a pass/fail system, if the cut-off mark is 60%, then if you score 60% or above you pass, and if you score less than 60% you fail. In such a system there is no additional honor or reward for scoring a perfect 100% versus barely passing with a 60%. So also, there is no additional shame or penalty for totally failing with 0% versus just failing at 59%. But God will be a perfectly righteous, fair judge who will judge every soul according to the measure of their works in obeying and following Him, with consideration for what they were given. So, the thief on the cross who repented to become righteous in his dying moments will not receive the same honor and glory in eternal life as apostle Paul who sacrificed all to obey and serve Lord Jesus Christ even to death. On the other hand, someone like Judas Iscariot cannot simply repent for the wrong he did and go to heaven; because much was given to him, much will be required of him. Rewards in heaven and hell will be in proportion to our works now. 1 Corinthians 15:41-42 says, "There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also, is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption..." These verses make 2 key points. First, there are different levels of glory in eternity. So, every person who gets into heaven does not receive the same reward. Just as there is massive difference in the intensity of glory and brightness between the sun, moon, and stars; so also, there will be a vast difference in the intensity of joy, honor, and treasure among those who go to heaven. Second, you will reap in incorruptible eternity what you sow in this corruptible life. Your intensity of obedience and sacrifice to God in this present life will determine what degree of glory your soul enjoys for eternity.

In Matthew 13:23 Jesus says, "But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." Among those who obey God’s truth, there are different measures of fruitfulness—100-fold, 60-fold, 30-fold. As a righteous judge God will reward you in proportion to your obedience or disobedience which is evident by your works in this present life. In Matthew 16:26 Jesus says, "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works." Revelations 20:12-13 says, "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; … and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." All souls will be rewarded according to their measure of holy and righteous works or unjust and filthy works. In Revelations 22:11-13 Lord Jesus Christ says, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I [Jesus] come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." So, going to heaven and hell is not a pass/fail system; every soul will be rewarded according to or in proportion to their works.

5. Obeying Jesus’s commandments is required to gain Eternal Life
With the understanding of how God judges, we can study Jesus’s teaching to sell all. The well-known story of the ruler whom Jesus told to "sell all" is found in the first three gospels. Rather than reading each of these passages to you, I will summarize the key points; but do study this for yourself in Matthew 19:16-30, Mark 10:17-31, and Luke 18:18-30. In this incident, a rich ruler asks Jesus what he must do to get eternal life. Jesus tells him he must obey the commandments of not doing harm or evil to others, such as no adultery, no killing, no stealing, no false witness, and take care of his family duty with integrity, such as honoring parents. The ruler responds that from his youth onwards he obeyed these commandments. Jesus replies that if he desires to be PERFECT, he should sell all he has, give to the poor, and take up his cross and follow him. At this point, the ruler is sad and leaves because he is very rich with many possessions. After seeing how sad the rich ruler is to hear the requirements of the high calling to be perfect, Jesus tells his disciples that those who trust in riches will just barely be able to get into heaven. Peter says to Jesus that he and the other disciples have forsaken all and followed Jesus, and he asks what they will get. Jesus replies that those who forsake all, such as possessions and family, for the sake of his name and the gospel, will be rewarded 100-fold. This is the overview of the incident of Jesus telling the ruler to sell all.

So, Jesus did not say to gain eternal life you must give away your possessions and riches or sell all. Matthew 19:16-19 says, "..one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he [Jesus] said unto him, …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, Honor thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." The righteousness required to gain eternal life is to obey Jesus’s commandments at the basic level of not harming others and taking care of family duty with sincerity. There is no commandment to sell all to gain eternal life. The minimum requirement for all souls or believers to escape hell is to be doers of Jesus’s commandments.

6. Higher callings are for those who obey Jesus’s commandments
For eternal life there is the bare minimum obligations with the least glory all the way up to the highest calling of perfection with the most glory, and there are levels in between. Higher callings are not mandatory for eternal life; they are only for believers who have first met the basic requirement of righteousness. The ruler is not a religious hypocrite such as the Pharisees or scribes who came to entrap and test Jesus with crooked questions. Rather he is a sincere believer who ran to humbly kneel before Jesus to find out what he must do. Mark 10:17 says, "there came one [the ruler] running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" The ruler was also an obedient doer of God’s commandments from a young age. Matthew 19:20 says, "All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?" It is after the ruler confirms he has faithfully obeyed the commandments, that Jesus then teaches him the cost of seeking more eternal glory.

7. ‘Sell all’ is High calling to faithful Disciples for More eternal Reward
Please notice that Jesus tells the ruler what he may do to gain TREASURE in heaven. Matthew 19:20-21 says, "what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him [the ruler], 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." Jesus lists three parts in the calling to be perfect for this rich ruler: sell all, give to the poor, and take up his cross and follow him. High callings are not required nor taught to all believers; they are for those who already sincerely obey Jesus’s commandments and seek more eternal glory or treasure by becoming PERFECT. Besides the incident with the rich ruler, the other instance in Scripture where Jesus teaches to sell all is in Luke 12:22,33, "And he [Jesus] said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, … Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves…a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth." Please notice Jesus is teaching this high calling of forsaking all, selling all, and giving to the poor to his faithful disciples. Again, he says this calling is for those who desire TREASURE in heaven, and not what is commanded for eternal life. The high calling to be perfect is optional and revealed by God to the obedient who seek more eternal glory.

8. Disciples who seek higher eternal Rewards pay a higher Cost in this life
As God is a righteous judge, more reward also means more work, which is paying the cost of being a disciple in this life. After the ruler declines this calling, Jesus has an exchange with Peter about the true cost and reward of a disciple who runs for the prize of the high calling. Matthew 19:27-29 says, "…answered Peter and said unto him [Jesus], Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them [the disciples], … everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life." The defining core principle of a disciple who runs for the high calling is forsaking all for the sake of Jesus and the gospel. In the parable of the sower there were those who received the Word of God with a good and honest heart and were fruitful at different levels—30-fold, 60-fold, 100-fold. Here we see those who were fruitful 100-fold are disciples achieving the high calling, and as God will be a righteous judge, Jesus says they will receive 100-fold in reward.

Those who sow to be fruitful 100-fold, will reap to be rewarded 100-fold. Hebrews 11:6 says, "...he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Those who have faith to seek God most diligently such that they obey and follow Jesus at the most intense level will be rewarded accordingly. These disciples trust in God’s eternal promises of incorruptible treasure and glory over the temporary riches of this world. To love God at that level is a process of growing in spirit and truth that is perfected in forsaking all and denying oneself. Matthew 16:24 says, "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me..." So, it is a high reward for a high calling with high cost. Achieving this calling requires a single-hearted pursuit of glory in God’s heavenly kingdom over glory in this present earthly life. In Matthew 6:19-21 Jesus says, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." A single-hearted pursuit of forsaking all in this world for the sake of Jesus and the gospel will be rewarded with everlasting treasure in heaven.

9. Count the cost; Jesus loved ruler who obeyed commandments for Eternal Life
Achieving the heights of heavenly glory, is not wishful thinking and grand declarations. You must count the cost and pay the cost. In Luke 14:26-28 Jesus says, "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?" The rich ruler counted the cost and decided that he could not take on the high calling. Jesus notes that such rich people can just hardly or just barely get into heaven. In Mark 10:23-24 Jesus says, "How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!...how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!" This does not mean the ruler loses eternal life. It simply means he counted the cost of the high calling and was honest that he could not afford it. The ruler was already fulfilling the requirement for eternal life by obeying the commandments of Jesus. In Mark 10:20-21 the ruler says, "…Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him..." Some preachers speak against this ruler as being proud in trying to achieve eternal life by his works. But Scripture tells us that Jesus accepted his response, loved him, and invited him for a higher calling. Deceiving pastors preach another Jesus who rejects this rich young ruler, but the Jesus of the Bible loved this humble, obedient man and he is the true Jesus who will as God be the most righteous judge to judge every soul according to their works of obedience or disobedience.

10. Sell all is High calling for Disciples with High cost to Forsake all
Dishonest people twist Scripture to confuse the common believer with the deception that obeying Jesus’s commandments is not possible nor required for heaven. They do this by acting as if Jesus commanded everyone to sell all to go to heaven and then say that since most people cannot and will not do this, so also, most people cannot and will not obey Jesus’s other teachings. Such false preachers are servants of Satan who preach the deception of another Jesus. The truth is that Jesus’s teaching to sell all is only for the obedient who God invites for the high calling. Faithful disciples who desire more eternal reward must be willing and able to pay the cost of forsaking all. If you desire God’s presence, honor, peace, and joy for eternity, start by obeying the commandments of Jesus and grow to be more fruitful in following Him if you are truly able to pay the cost. The glory of this world will fade away and the glory of heaven is everlasting. Obey and follow the true Lord Jesus, because every soul will stand before Him on judgment day, and He will be the most righteous judge.

SUMMARY Points

-Truth-tellers say MUST obey Jesus’s commandments to gain Eternal Life
-Deceivers say, ‘Jesus said to sell all your belongings, so, have you sold all?’
-Deceivers are indirectly saying most believers do not follow the teaching to sell all, and so, obeying Jesus’s other teachings is also not required to enter heaven
-Jesus says ‘Sell All’ is a High calling for Disciples for More Reward in Heaven

-Jesus did NOT command EVERY believer to sell all to go to Heaven
-Jesus DID command EVERY believer to OBEY His commandments to gain Eternal Life
-Jesus DID teach HIGH calling of forsake all & follow Him to select obedient people including his faithful DISCIPLES who desire more Glory & Reward in Heaven

-PERFECT, High calling to Rich Ruler: Sell all, Give to the poor, Follow Jesus
-Sell all is only for the OBEDIENT who God INVITES for High calling
-For MORE eternal Reward/TREASURE, must be willing & able to pay COST

God is RIGHTEOUS because of the WAY He JUDGES
Judging STANDARD: Do GOOD → Heaven, Do EVIL → Hell
BECAUSE God is righteous → His punishment on evil, disobedient souls

Church DECEPTION = God of unending Mercy & Forgiveness
Satan’s DECEPTION of ANOTHER Jesus = Welcomes Sinning Churchgoers to Heaven

ALL souls judged according to what they DID
God is NOT a Respecter of Persons
God is NOT for Christians and against non-Christians
God is FOR the Righteous, God is AGAINST the Evil

MINIMUM requirement to escape Hell = Repent & Be Righteous
BUT Heaven or Hell is NOT a Pass/Fail System
Eternal rewards are given in PROPORTION to your WORKS

Different LEVELS of Glory & Reward in ETERNITY
REAP in ETERNITY, what you SOW in this PRESENT Life
Rewards according to MEASURE of Holy & Righteous OR Unjust & Filthy WORKS

ETERNAL Life:
1-Obeying Jesus’s commandments is REQUIRED to gain Eternal Life
2-Doers of Jesus’s commandments do not harm others & do family duty
3-MINIMUM to escape Hell is to be RIGHTEOUS DOERS of Jesus’s commandments
4-There is NO commandment to ‘Sell All’ to gain Eternal Life
5-Jesus did NOT say Sell all & Give away Possessions for Eternal Life

HIGHER callings:
1-NOT mandatory for Eternal Life
2-Only for OBEDIENT who first meet requirement of righteousness
3-Purpose is MORE TREASURE or eternal REWARD in Heaven
4-To be PERFECT = Forsaking ALL for SAKE of Jesus & Gospel

ACHIEVING High calling
1-Faith that God is Real & Rewarder of those who Diligently Seek Him
2-Hope of eternal PROMISES of INCORRUPTIBLE Treasure OVER the TEMPORARY riches of this world
3-This level of loving God is a PROCESS of growing in SPIRIT & TRUTH that is perfected in FORSAKING all and DENYING oneself for JESUS & GOSPEL
4-High REWARD for a High CALLING with High COST
5-‘Sell all’ HIGH calling for Disciples, NOT Commandment for all Believers