Gaining the Whole World, But Losing your Soul? Read more...

• The Value of the Soul and Misdirected Priorities - Our modern society places little or no value upon the soul. Man has been created by God with an invisible, eternal soul and with a visible, temporal body. Since unsaved man is spiritually dead, he has a dead soul (Psa 51:5, Psa 58:3), and he is naturally concerned with things that he can experience with his five senses, or his physical body. This fits in very neatly with the Bible’s definition of this world system, as summed up in 1 John 2:16, “For all that is in the world: the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world”. The things of this temporal world are what unsaved man craves with all his being. These things of the world can offer pleasure for a season, but they only lead to eternal death as Jam 1:15 points: “But every man is tempted: when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived: it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished: bringeth forth death”. Ultimately, God alone gives or takes away physical life; but what is infinitely more important is the state of our soul. Mat 10:28 adds this fearful warning: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell”. Man is not only on the wide road that leads to Hell, but he is oblivious to it, as we see in Matt 7:13-14: “... wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat”. He is a deceived child of Satan as John 8:44 declares: “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do”. The illustration in Luke 12:15-21 from Scripture can help us understand what God says is truly valuable and most important in life. This rich man paid no attention to the condition of his soul. Although he was materially wealthy, sadly he was “not rich toward God”. Having wealth can be a great curse, as we have just seen, or a wonderful blessing – it all depends on a person’s motives and priorities.

Mat 7:13-14 “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

Luke 12:15-21 “And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said; This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ’Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

• What is Truly Profitable and gives Ultimate Satisfaction? - Even if one were to give up their possessions to feed the poor, or give their body to be burned, it would not truly profit them in any spiritual sense: “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity [agape love] it profiteth me nothing” (1 Cor 13:3), or bring salvation. So what brings ultimate satisfaction? Ultimate satisfaction can only be achieved by one whose soul has been granted eternal life by the “Author and Finisher of Faith” – the Lord Jesus Christ. Throughout the Bible we learn that God Himself is our ultimate satisfaction. In Gen 15:1 God announced to Abram (God later changed his name to Abraham), “After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward”. And the only profitable one is the Word of God : “It is the spirit that quickeneth [or makes alive]; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life [gives eternal life]” (John 6:63). However, even God’s Word can be “unprofitable” to those who do not hear it with “ears of faith” – “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them [Israelites, the Church in the wilderness]: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it” (Heb 4:2). Psa 36:8 gives the child of God this assurance: “They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures”. Psa 42:1-2 pictures those who hunger and thirst for God Himself: “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?”. The Christian longs for the day when he can “inherit all things” according to Rev 21:6-7 and 1 The 5:23-24 assures that God is the one who will preserve them until the day of His coming.

Psa 16:11 “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

Josh 1:8 “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”

Rev 21:6-7 “And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh [be victorious] shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.”

1 The 5:23-24 “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.”

• What shall a Man Give in Exchange for his Soul? - We know that these passages Matt 16:25-26 and Luke 9:24-25 can help us understand what God says is truly valuable and most important in life, is a person’s soul. Are these verses talking about physical life or about spiritual life? The contrast between “gaining the whole world” and “losing one’s own soul” indicates that this passage is talking about “saving one’s life” materially, yet “losing one’s soul” spiritually in the process. Every human being will spend eternity in Heaven or eternally damned in Hell. Thus, this subject is of paramount significance for each individual. The only way that a person can “save his life” is to become “born from above”. Furthermore, the Bible insists that this salvation is altogether an undeserved gift from God and is predicated solely upon the work of God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ – the only Savior for sinners. We read in Eph 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast”. What exactly did Christ offer to redeem our soul? The Lord Jesus Christ was made sin and became a curse as He gave up His life – His very soul : “... he [Lord Jesus Christ] hath poured out his soul unto death: ...” (Isa 53:12) – for those He came to save. We read in Mat 20:28, “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many”. The same Greek word for “life” is also translated as “soul” in Acts 2:31, “He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption”. Throughout the New Testament both “soul” and “life” are used interchangeably. CHRIST’S SOUL – THE OFFERING FOR SIN – IS OUR ONLY HOPE.

Luke 9:24-25 “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?”

Matt 16:25-26 “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Isa 53:12 “Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he [Lord Jesus Christ] hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”

• Living to the Glory of God and Losing Life for Christ’s Sake - Anyone who has become saved by God’s wonderful grace becomes a “new creature” in Christ and desires to “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness”, as we read in Matt 6:33. This is a matter of priority. When all of a person’s time, money, and talent is devoted to a higher calling, he is seeking first God’s kingdom and His righteousness. While unsaved man is after “... the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life”, for the believer in Jesus Christ, God establishes a new set of directives that are exactly opposite of those found in the world, out of which the Christian has been redeemed, 1) contentment – “And having food and raiment let us be there with content” (1 Tim 6:8),  2) obedience – “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15) and 3) humility – “… and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” (1 Pet 5:5b). Of course, only God can produce these traits in the lives of His children as He works in them “to will and to do of His good pleasure”. This passage we read in Luke 12:15-21 teaches, to live life solely for material gain without true spiritual life, will only lead one to lose his soul in Hell. On the other hand, if one has received salvation in his soul, his physical life will be gladly spent in diligent service and loving obedience to his dear Savior as he anticipates spending eternity with Him. A wonderful example of this very thing is found in the inspired words of Acts 20:24 which the Holy Spirit gave to the Apostle Paul: “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God”. Paul, under divine inspiration, describes that losing is winning – Losing self-righteousness which is by law and Gaining God’s Righteousness which is by Faith.

Rom 14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness [righteousness of God by Faith], and peace [peace between us and God through Christ], and joy in the Holy Ghost [Joy of Salvation].”

Matt 6:25, 31-33 “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

John 12:25 “He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.”

Mark 8:35-37 “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his: soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Php 3:4-14 “... touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ .Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: ...”

• The Priority of Proclaiming the Gospel - The major thrust of seeking “first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” is to proclaim the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ – as Christ Himself did. He also commanded His followers in Mark 16:15, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature”. This is the supreme task that never stops until we see the Lord coming in the clouds of glory. What exactly is the Gospel, you ask? The whole Bible is the Gospel, and the Gospel is all about God’s salvation plan. Its message concerns the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ. What is that work? Matt 1:21 declares, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins”. Why did he have to save His people? Eph 2:1-3 gives us the answer: because they “... were dead in trespasses and sins ...”. The believer's task to live for Christ and for the proclamation of the Gospel will not be without problems, challenges, and trials. During those times we do well to remember the words of Heb 4:15, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin”. Paul suffered greatly throughout his lifetime, and yet it was through these very sufferings that he came to understand more fully that his strength came – when he was weakest – from his faithful God. 2 Cor 12:9-10 affirms that God’s Grace is sufficient for every need.

Eph 2:1-3 “And you hath he quickened, [or made alive spiritually] who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)”

2 Cor 12:9-10 “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”