Matthew 16:26
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
I know I've written about this verse before, but I'm truely intrigued by the statement of "what will a man give in exchange for his soul?". Afterall being very Singaporean, we are always haggling and bargaining for good deals. For a dirt cheat price of $25 a night, I've willingly sacrifice lavish pampering of a $60 a night 4-star hotel for a run down 2-star hotel in bangkok having convinced myself that the poorly maintained facilities are forgivable for a transient 2 night stay.
One day we will all pass away, albeit prematurely or as per our predestined time, and then we would have to stand to face God. Jesus shares in Matthew 25:31-46 to warn us of that surety of this judgement. The ungodly will be sent into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
This black and white fact of heaven or hell after death has always been avoided by atheist because it invokes the controversial issue of judgement after life. It's an extremely scary fact to many because at that point, we have to account for our salvation or lack of it.
Like our exams or job inteviews, when our life is over and we stand before God it's a black and white issue of Yes or No. There's no turning back to make amendments. "Yes", you are a child of God, you are safe and would proceed to the eternal joy of God's presence in heaven. No, you are not a child of God, you would proceed to eternal suffering in fiery hell.
If you do get a "NO" at such a time and the judgement of suffering in hell for eternity is proclaimed over you, what would you give in exchange for your soul then? For all that you ever possessed, sadly, the bible says there's nothing which you can use to exchange for a pardon for your soul's judgement.
A wise saying states "Highsight is always perfect vision". We all have something in our past which we wished we could go back in time to amend it for the better. When I look back at the results of my major exams, if I could turn back time to change my past in order to achieve stellar results, I would have willingly given up the fun and pleasures which I enjoyed and dedicated myself to overly conscientious studying. Sadly, we all know that what's past is past and it is impossible to ever go back to redo life's wrongs.
In life, we often count the costs for everything that we do. More so as we miserly count the costs over matters of God or of spiritual concerns. How much does this church camp costs, do I have enough time to study/work/chill-out if I attend church/cell/prayer metting, what would this mission trip cost me....etc. Basically, all the questions seem to linger over the issue of how convenient and pain-free is it to do God related stuff. We often sabotage our eternal future through deliberate attempts to delay and deny the things which we should and could have done for God.
Tragically, it seems that in the pursuit of our better life, we don't seem to count the costs for what will take place for eternity. We plan for our future careers, family building, health insurances but because death is so far away for many of us, we often forget that at the end of our lives, we will have to account to God for our soul and what we did in our lifespan. Someday, we'll have to account for the number of people we were a true friend to, not how many friends we had. Did we in our pursuit of life compromise the things of God for transient pleasures? Did we achieve a life for God according to the number of talents which we were given?
When Moses spoke to the people of God in Deuteronomy 30:19, he made it obvious to them that their choices would affect their destinies "I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live". Let no man who reads this sentence ever say this only applies to the Israelites of the old testiment, but I pray that you'll be convicted by the serious implication of being responsible for the choices you make in life.
At the end of you life, be it in the near future of 1-10 years or far distant time of 10 years and beyond, how would you account for your life when you meet God your maker face-to-face? How much do you value your soul's eternal destiny? I pray earnestly that you will value the days of your life because when it transpires, no amount of tears, money, achievement, accolades, deeds or goodwill will be accepted in redemption for your soul.
Blessings,
M.
"For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess" Deuteronomy 30:16
13 November 2006
How much does your soul cost ???
Matthew 16:26
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
I know I've written about this verse before, but I'm truely intrigued by the statement of "what will a man give in exchange for his soul?". Afterall being very Singaporean, we are always haggling and bargaining for good deals. For a dirt cheat price of $25 a night, I've willingly sacrifice lavish pampering of a $60 a night 4-star hotel for a run down 2-star hotel in bangkok having convinced myself that the poorly maintained facilities are forgivable for a transient 2 night stay.
One day we will all pass away, albeit prematurely or as per our predestined time, and then we would have to stand to face God. Jesus shares in Matthew 25:31-46 to warn us of that surety of this judgement. The ungodly will be sent into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
This black and white fact of heaven or hell after death has always been avoided by atheist because it invokes the controversial issue of judgement after life. It's an extremely scary fact to many because at that point, we have to account for our salvation or lack of it.
Like our exams or job inteviews, when our life is over and we stand before God it's a black and white issue of Yes or No. There's no turning back to make amendments. "Yes", you are a child of God, you are safe and would proceed to the eternal joy of God's presence in heaven. No, you are not a child of God, you would proceed to eternal suffering in fiery hell.
If you do get a "NO" at such a time and the judgement of suffering in hell for eternity is proclaimed over you, what would you give in exchange for your soul then? For all that you ever possessed, sadly, the bible says there's nothing which you can use to exchange for a pardon for your soul's judgement.
A wise saying states "Highsight is always perfect vision". We all have something in our past which we wished we could go back in time to amend it for the better. When I look back at the results of my major exams, if I could turn back time to change my past in order to achieve stellar results, I would have willingly given up the fun and pleasures which I enjoyed and dedicated myself to overly conscientious studying. Sadly, we all know that what's past is past and it is impossible to ever go back to redo life's wrongs.
In life, we often count the costs for everything that we do. More so as we miserly count the costs over matters of God or of spiritual concerns. How much does this church camp costs, do I have enough time to study/work/chill-out if I attend church/cell/prayer metting, what would this mission trip cost me....etc. Basically, all the questions seem to linger over the issue of how convenient and pain-free is it to do God related stuff. We often sabotage our eternal future through deliberate attempts to delay and deny the things which we should and could have done for God.
Tragically, it seems that in the pursuit of our better life, we don't seem to count the costs for what will take place for eternity. We plan for our future careers, family building, health insurances but because death is so far away for many of us, we often forget that at the end of our lives, we will have to account to God for our soul and what we did in our lifespan. Someday, we'll have to account for the number of people we were a true friend to, not how many friends we had. Did we in our pursuit of life compromise the things of God for transient pleasures? Did we achieve a life for God according to the number of talents which we were given?
When Moses spoke to the people of God in Deuteronomy 30:19, he made it obvious to them that their choices would affect their destinies "I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live". Let no man who reads this sentence ever say this only applies to the Israelites of the old testiment, but I pray that you'll be convicted by the serious implication of being responsible for the choices you make in life.
At the end of you life, be it in the near future of 1-10 years or far distant time of 10 years and beyond, how would you account for your life when you meet God your maker face-to-face? How much do you value your soul's eternal destiny? I pray earnestly that you will value the days of your life because when it transpires, no amount of tears, money, achievement, accolades, deeds or goodwill will be accepted in redemption for your soul.
Blessings,
M.
"For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess" Deuteronomy 30:16
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
I know I've written about this verse before, but I'm truely intrigued by the statement of "what will a man give in exchange for his soul?". Afterall being very Singaporean, we are always haggling and bargaining for good deals. For a dirt cheat price of $25 a night, I've willingly sacrifice lavish pampering of a $60 a night 4-star hotel for a run down 2-star hotel in bangkok having convinced myself that the poorly maintained facilities are forgivable for a transient 2 night stay.
One day we will all pass away, albeit prematurely or as per our predestined time, and then we would have to stand to face God. Jesus shares in Matthew 25:31-46 to warn us of that surety of this judgement. The ungodly will be sent into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
This black and white fact of heaven or hell after death has always been avoided by atheist because it invokes the controversial issue of judgement after life. It's an extremely scary fact to many because at that point, we have to account for our salvation or lack of it.
Like our exams or job inteviews, when our life is over and we stand before God it's a black and white issue of Yes or No. There's no turning back to make amendments. "Yes", you are a child of God, you are safe and would proceed to the eternal joy of God's presence in heaven. No, you are not a child of God, you would proceed to eternal suffering in fiery hell.
If you do get a "NO" at such a time and the judgement of suffering in hell for eternity is proclaimed over you, what would you give in exchange for your soul then? For all that you ever possessed, sadly, the bible says there's nothing which you can use to exchange for a pardon for your soul's judgement.
A wise saying states "Highsight is always perfect vision". We all have something in our past which we wished we could go back in time to amend it for the better. When I look back at the results of my major exams, if I could turn back time to change my past in order to achieve stellar results, I would have willingly given up the fun and pleasures which I enjoyed and dedicated myself to overly conscientious studying. Sadly, we all know that what's past is past and it is impossible to ever go back to redo life's wrongs.
In life, we often count the costs for everything that we do. More so as we miserly count the costs over matters of God or of spiritual concerns. How much does this church camp costs, do I have enough time to study/work/chill-out if I attend church/cell/prayer metting, what would this mission trip cost me....etc. Basically, all the questions seem to linger over the issue of how convenient and pain-free is it to do God related stuff. We often sabotage our eternal future through deliberate attempts to delay and deny the things which we should and could have done for God.
Tragically, it seems that in the pursuit of our better life, we don't seem to count the costs for what will take place for eternity. We plan for our future careers, family building, health insurances but because death is so far away for many of us, we often forget that at the end of our lives, we will have to account to God for our soul and what we did in our lifespan. Someday, we'll have to account for the number of people we were a true friend to, not how many friends we had. Did we in our pursuit of life compromise the things of God for transient pleasures? Did we achieve a life for God according to the number of talents which we were given?
When Moses spoke to the people of God in Deuteronomy 30:19, he made it obvious to them that their choices would affect their destinies "I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live". Let no man who reads this sentence ever say this only applies to the Israelites of the old testiment, but I pray that you'll be convicted by the serious implication of being responsible for the choices you make in life.
At the end of you life, be it in the near future of 1-10 years or far distant time of 10 years and beyond, how would you account for your life when you meet God your maker face-to-face? How much do you value your soul's eternal destiny? I pray earnestly that you will value the days of your life because when it transpires, no amount of tears, money, achievement, accolades, deeds or goodwill will be accepted in redemption for your soul.
Blessings,
M.
"For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess" Deuteronomy 30:16
