Jesus said: “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and loose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36)
By ‘world’, Jesus meant everything that the physical eyes can see and the systems, which control the conduct and living of an unregenerate man on our Planet, Earth.
He was looking at the value of the soul of man – comparing the inestimable riches of a saved soul in eternity with the ‘gains’ of the world and its allure, which inevitably drags its recipients into ‘the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone:’ The Omniscient eyes of the Saviour of mankind pierced through man’s gorgeous adornment and sophisticated clad (that tend to hide spiritual poverty from the human eyes) into the real man. He knew that the abysmal ignorance of man would not allow him to weigh the consequences of living a Christ-less life in this dark world – a lamentable fact. No; many men do not even care to know where their aimless earthly life would lead them until, maybe, they are forced to do so – either by the imminence of death or some other calamities or afflictions.
Many men are so hard-hearted that they can get bitter against the idea of the existence of a God in Heaven who rules in the affairs of men. Some people who dare to trust in God do so with their own righteousness (as they like it) – Romans 18:3, or as if they are the architect of their own salvation. Sad enough, “… It is appointed unto men once to die, after this the judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27). No wonder Jesus wept (because of the helplessness of man) at Lazarus’ tomb. (John 11:35). “Life has no duplicate,” they say. How true! What are you doing to safeguard your soul from being swept away by the floods of the world? “If thou hadst known even thou, at least in this day, the things which belong unto thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes.”(Luke 19:42), Jesus compassionately and tearfully lamented.
Jesus cannot be wrong. He created the world. He knows man through and through. He created the devil. He knows the devil too. The devil is ruling this dark world. The world and its lusts cannot be good “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.” And “if any man love the world, the love of the Father os not in him.” (1 John 2:16,15b) because friendship of the world is enmity with God. Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. (James 4:4)
The souls of all the enemies of God who die without repentance shall be lost eternally ‘in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone:’(Rev.21: 8)! No soul in hell will ever have any iota of rest day or night – forever – in its torments (Rev.14: 10,11). This is no doubt, eternal death!
The message
It is a double loss for you to gain the whole world and lose your own soul. There is no continual place of abode in this world. Satan – the Champion of sinners, rules the world. “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof:” (1John 2:17)! There is no profit in worldly ‘gains’. Its merits are forgotten after some seconds’ torments in hell.
Whatever any man thinks he gets from not surrendering his life to Jesus Christ to become his personal Lord and Saviour is only ephemeral. Nothing lasts too long in this life. It is only a life that is lived for God through the Redeemer, Jesus that Can gainfully out-live everything visible to the Physical eyes on this earth. There is no how you can sin like the devil does. So why will you allow him to take you along with him to the place of punishment prepared for him and his cohorts?
Fools have treaded this planet (Psalm14: 1). But the greatest fool is that man who can hear about the Saviour that can, and is ready to, save his soul from perdition and will still allow Satan to delude him until he ends up his ‘voyage’ in hell.
Tell me, what are those ‘gains of the world’ that are blinding your eyes to the reality of the brevity of your stay here on earth and an endless life in eternity to prepare for?
Jesus came into this world many years ago and died so everyone can be saved. The blood He shed on the Cross of Calvary where sinful men nailed him has got no match and will never get in the history of man’s existence on earth. HIS BLOOD IS A REDEEMING BLOOD. Shout Hallelujah!
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