KEY SCRIPTURE: Matthew 16:26 (KJV) “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?”

The Lord Jesus asked a very important question that each one must consider and address very well. He asked, what is a man profited, if he should gain the whole world and lose his soul.? He compared gaining the whole world against losing your soul. He says if you do so, then you have made a big lose. It means the soul of a man is more expensive and important than the whole of the physical world put together.

What is the soul of a man? First, I will clarify that the scriptures use the term soul interchangeably in a number of ways.  In some instances, the word soul is used to mean the whole man, that is the body, soul and spirit. An example is when God breathe into man, he became a living soul (Genesis 2:7). This word living soul, also means a living being or a living man. Another use of the soul in place of the whole being of a man, is when the scripture said, the soul that sinneth shall die. Ezekiel 18:20. This scripture means the man who sins will die for his sin. (Some people refer to this, and say the soul can die: the soul does not die as in annihilation) The soul in some instances is referred to the immortal part of man, which is a combination of the spirit and soul. This meaning of the soul, is what the Lord Jesus was referring to, in our key scripture. The scriptures teaches anyway that the soul of a man is different from his spirit. (Heb 4:12,1 Thess 5:23)

The Lord teaches that, there is nothing you can trade or exchange for your soul. The real problem arises when the man dies. If he or she exchanged his soul for the physical treasures of this life, his soul is empty and lost. Our physical body needs the physical treasures to be comfortable, yet they should not rule our actions. People hate, kill and practice all wickedness because of these temporal goods of this life. Some even worry into levels of deep stress and even depression, because of certain things they don’t have. All such actions and attitudes mean you are trading your precious soul for temporal physical transient things. Would you send your car, houses, money, or even children to the next world?

 CONFESSION

I make use of the physical provisions of life, but they do not rule my heart. Jesus is the Lord of my soul. By Him my life has a meaning and an anticipation of a glorious eternity.

FURTHER STUDIES

 Luke 12:15 (KJV). “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.”

 1 Thessalonians 5:23 (KJV) “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.”