“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
It’s piercing. It immediately removes our cluttered pursuits and exposes the real issue. It is the question of a lifetime.
What good is it if you gain the whole world….
Nobody today has gained the whole world, although some are trying.
Bill Gates is the richest man alive, with a net worth of $79.2 billion. I’ve never heard of some of the others on the “richest people in the world” list: Carlos Slim, Amancio Ortega, Larry Ellison. But others, I have heard of: Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, several Waltons of Walmart, investor Warren Buffet. They have all made a pretty nice living. While they haven’t gained the whole world, they sure do have a big piece of it!
But what about their soul?
Have they forfeited their soul?
I don’t know.
Your soul is who you really are. The Greek word from the New Testament is psyche. It is your inner self, your conscious, your personality, your very life.
Now, these billionaires are all still alive, as far as I know. They all have souls. No one is beyond the reach of Jesus Christ. The question Jesus’ asks doesn’t prohibit getting rich or gaining possessions, it simply stresses the importance of being certain about your eternal destiny.
Everyone needs to be saved. Everyone needs to be forgiven. That comes when you repent and ask Jesus to forgive you. All of this world’s goods and attainments are so, so temporary.
Take care of your soul. Surrender it to Jesus.