Profit and Loss - Part 1
By Ron Noble
"For what shall a man be profited if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul?" Matthew 16:26
For many years this verse puzzled me. I used to hear Billy Graham use it in evangelistic crusades as though it meant your eternal destiny, or your salvation was what was being described. But over the years as an elder of my church, God has let me see the souls of men, and the progressive nature of Matthew16:26.
The soul is the awareness of man, of feelings, emotions the will, the intellect, etc., the mind. The spirit is the part of us which relates to God Romans8;16, 1 Corinthians 2:10-12 but the great theologian, the Psalmist, tells us that a downcast, discouraged soul drags down a joyful spirit, and the trust relationship with God is damaged Psalm 42. Jesus made it sound in our verse today like there is a trade-off, the soul for some "gain", to sell your soul to the devil so to speak. What does that look like?
A life of driven-ness to accomplishment, pleasure, worth seeking, financial gain has an adverse effect on people. Climbing ladders to success usually means some pushing and shoving went on at the base of the ladder just to get on it. Then the stepping on fingers of others under you begins. At first it bothers the sensitive soul, but eventually the callous gets thicker and it doesn't seem any less than normal.
The prophet Nathan's story in 2 Samuel 12 gives God's perspective on people who allow this to happen. It describes the greed and self interest which lets a person steal something which is precious, much needed and short supply, from one who needs it, when the thief has plenty of his own, and is just amassing more. In verse 13 God says through Nathan, that King David had lost his compassion, a soul quality, and that's why he could do such a thing. His sexual immorality follows his loss of respect for the neighbour's property, and even his neighbour's wife, and the intimacy of another marriage. David was consumed with only, "I want it for myself." He had lost his soul, his integrity, to gain sexual gratification, and became willing to murder the husband, Uriah, and marry Bath-Sheba to try to maintain his appearance of integrity.
Nebuchadnezzar, in the book of Daniel, lost his will, reason, sanity, (his soul) through proud, driven, disobedient motivation.
Judas, was one who lost his ability to say no to temptation by money, and the situation led to an open door to the devil. Satan entered into Judas, we read in Luke 22:3. He then moved past the point where he found that a sense of decency prevented him from being a traitor to his friend, co-worker, and Lord, for financial gain.
Saul, is another Biblical example of a man whose desire to gain political appointment, influence, control over people, and financial gain led to his animalization, willing to kill his rival, who was "God's anointed in waiting." Saul would then lie, cheat, steal and consult mediums, because he had lost his soul, and even his spirit was cut off from God 1 Samuel 16:14, 18:12. David, on the other hand, would not kill Saul when the opportunity arose, even when men advised him to seize the "opportunity" they said God had given him. He had a "conscience that bothered him," and was God's replacement for Saul 1 Samuel 24:5.
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