A Soul and the World

“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world,
and loses his own soul? Or what will a man
give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26 NKJV).

Introduction:

  1. These questions, propounded by Jesus of Nazareth, are highly suggestive.
  2. They set the wheels of thought to spinning, put us to thinking of life’s issues, the big things with which we have to do: the soul, the world, gain, loss, profit.
  3. Let us come to grip with these issues.

Body:

I. What is the soul?

  1. It is the higher life, that which distinguishes man from the beast.
  2. It is the part of man that will survive the ordeal of death.
  3. Shall we say that “man has a soul” or that “man is a soul”?
  4. Its value: It is of greater value than any member of the body (Matthew 5:29-30), even the entire body (Matthew 10:28), or “the whole world.”
  5. Its possibilities: (1) It can sin or be righteous, (2) It can be miserable or happy, (3) It can descend into the horrors of Hell, or it can ascend to Heaven.

II. What is the world?

  1. According to John (1 John 2:16), the world includes: sensual pleasures – “the lust of the flesh,” wealth – “the lust of the eyes” and the honors of the world – “vainglory of life.”
  2. “The whole world” of which the Master speaks includes all the pleasures, the wealth and all the
    honors the world can bestow.

III. If you should gain “the whole world,” what would be your gain?

  1. Something that cannot satisfy (John 4:13).
  2. A dangerous master. When the young ruler gained riches, he gained a master who had more power over him than the Lord of life (Mark 10).
  3. Something perishable (1 Peter 1:24; 1 John 2:17a).

IV. If you should gain “the whole world,” what would be your loss, for everything you gain, you must sustain a loss?

  1. Sensual pleasure is gained at the price of purity; wealth accrues at the price of honesty, liberality and sympathy (Luke 16:19-21); honor is attained at the price of conviction (Luke 6:26).
  2. When purity, honesty, liberality, sympathy and conviction are gone, the soul is gone – gone for a mess of meat. The soul – higher life – must be surrendered when we make a conquest of the world.

V. If you should gain “the whole world,” what would be your profit?

  1. What would a fish be profited if it should gain all seas and forfeit its gills?
  2. What would a bird be profited if it should gain all atmosphere and forfeit its wings?
  3. What would a man be profited if he should gain the world and forfeit his eyes, or his ears, his health or his soul – that which is worth more than the entire body?
  4. He who forfeits his soul for the world must, in the end, lose both the price and the purchase (Luke 12:16-20).

Conclusion:

  1. The soul, if finally lost, cannot be recovered. “What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
  2. If you should stand on the eternal shore, having bartered your soul, it will be impossible to buy it back.
  3. You shall be like Esau of old, who after selling his birthright, tried in vain to regain it (Hebrews 12:16-17).

Author