Daily Devotional
Word of the Day
Dead Men Don't Have Rights
Pastor Scott
Monday, June 07, 2004
Listen to this teaching | Related Teaching | Bible Teaching | 
Print
"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)
"For what [does it profit a man], if he shall gain [everything in the natural realm] the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what [would] a man give in exchange for his [own] soul?" (Matt. 16:26) That's a very valid question. One of these days we are all going to stand before Him and give an account of everything in our lives. What will you give in exchange for your soul? Why would you sell out cheap? I value my soul. I was getting everything from the world I could get when I lived for the world. Then I was arrested by the love of God and purchased by the blood of Jesus and realized that I'm no longer my own; I've been bought with a price. My life is not mine to squander in the acquisition of temporal things that some day will burn by the justice and holiness of God!
The crucified life is realizing you're not your own. It's coming to grips with the fact that you've been bought; you are not your own. The crucified life is a life of slavery. Yes, we are love slaves; but we are slaves nonetheless. Has your mind been crucified? Do you think that you still have rights to choose whether you're going to obey the Word or not? Dead men don't have that right. Slaves don't have that right.
When the Master speaks about what will it profit you to gain the world, He's putting the true value for us on your soul, on your life. What will it profit you to gain everything the world can offer up? As Satan was tempting Jesus, he took Him up upon the mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world. He said, "I have the power to give these kingdoms to anybody I choose. Just bow down and worship me and it's yours."
You say, "Well, the devil has never offered me the whole world."
Do you know why? It's because he can get you for less. Think about it. What would you give in exchange for your soul? Lazarus, who used to sit outside the rich man's gate and the dogs licked the sores on his body, is now in Abraham's bosom and obtaining the blessings of God. The rich man, who lived with all of the gaity of life and all of the abundance of life, is now in torment in hell. He said, "Just let him come and bring a touch of water to place upon my tongue." What do you think he would have been willing to give then for his soul? But you don't get another chance. Today is the day of salvation, the Scripture says (2 Cor. 6:2). Once we've entered into that realm, there isn't another opportunity.
"For the Son of man shall come in...glory...and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till [they've seen] the Son of man coming in [the glory of] his kingdom" (Matt. 16:27-28). It's pretty easy to crucify self to the world if we believe that at any moment Jesus is coming back. It's pretty easy to forego that momentary pleasure when we realize by disciplining ourselves we are investing in eternity. If we believe that the Lord could come back at the moment we are satisfying our own covetousness, lusts and pride, if we really believe that the Judge was going to appear, we would conduct ourselves differently. The crucified man is the one who really believes in the imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ as he's purifying himself even as He is pure. It's a discipline. It's a decision. It's a constant laying up of our lives.