Mankind is under the dominion of sin and the devil. But some captives occupy a larger cell than others. Just as there are open prisons with a relatively lax regime and high security prisons where the inmates are closely monitored and much restricted in their freedoms, so it is with the devil's captives. Many who are undoubtedly under his rule nevertheless seem free to act contrary to his cause while others are held very fast by their sins. The young man before us was an inmate of the devil's open prison. He seemed to live free of the devil's dominion. He said of the commandments of God :"Master, all these have I observed from my youth," verse 20. And yet he was still the devil's prisoner for his actions in verse 22 show this to be so. "And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions." He could not obey Christ but was drawn away from Christ by the power of the devil. He seemed concerned about heaven but most likely never entered it!