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We believe God speaks to us from His Word, the Bible. Its message is as relevant today as 2,000 years ago.

"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?"
Matthew 16: 26

In the previous verses, the Lord Jesus has been urging his disciples to take up the cross and follow Him (verses 14-25). However, to deny oneself and live for the Lord Jesus is not an easy thing to do – especially when the world offers so much to indulge ourselves and live for its pleasures.

The world us one of triad of evils we must overcome to be saved. The other two are the flesh and the devil. And the devil often tempts the flesh to be disloyal to the Lord. Satan will put some special lustre on a worldly object or some pursuit to draw us away.

The Lord recognises the call to follow him can be checked by too much love for worldly things. So he warns his disciples that even the possession of the whole world could not compensate for the loss of the soul.

1) How does Jesus deal with the problem of worldliness?

He reminds us we have souls. Twice his mentions that fact in the text – that we human beings have a dual nature, we are material and non-material.

The murderer who cried – just before the trap-door opened – "O God, if there be a God, save my soul if I have a soul" evidently did not believe Jesus’ words.

But we do have a soul. And when we die, the body separates from the soul and returns to the dust. But the soul goes to God to receive its everlasting portion, either in heaven or hell, depending on whether we have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ or not.

2) Furthermore … Jesus warns us the world is a source of danger to the soul

Jesus puts the question: "what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?"

The implication is – instead of reaching God’s presence where there is fullness of joy and pleasures evermore, we can find ourselves cast away into outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And the Lord warns that the loss can be so great that even owning the whole world could not compensate for such a ruin.

3) And in addition to that sad fact … there is no redemption of the soul from Hell

That’s the meaning of the statement "… or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Hell is forever and we cannot buy our way out. What could we give anyway? A man takes nothing out of this world to barter with. "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." (1 Timothy 6:7)

So a person can spend a lifetime accumulating things and still go away empty-handed. A little verse says:
"To lose ones wealth is much
To lose ones health is more
To lose ones soul is such a loss
That no man can restore"

So Brethren and Sisters, let us be on guard against a worldly mentality that says "What shall we eat, what shall we drink or where with all shall we be clothed" … people whose aspirations seldom go beyond this world.

With the Lord’s help, let us set our affections on things above. Let us lay up for ourselves treasure in heaven, so when we are absent from the body, we shall be eternally rich with the Lord.

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