Don’t Try To Exchange Your Salvation
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)
Thought For Today:
I believe Matthew 16:26 could be one of the most powerful, thought-provoking scriptures in the Word of God. We have probably all had an occasion where we received a gift from someone and heard that person say, “Now, if you don’t like it, you can exchange it for something else. Here’s the receipt”. We then went to the store and, while standing at the service desk, heard the clerk ask the question, “Would you like to exchange it, or would you like the money back?”
First of all, I have heard many people through the years say that salvation is free, but that’s not quite true. Salvation literally bankrupted heaven. Money could not be exchanged for salvation. It cost so much that a human life was the only way to purchase it. Yes, it's a gift, but it was not freely given. How could a person stand before God and say, I wasn’t satisfied with your salvation gift, so I exchanged it for a twelve-pack of beer? or, I exchanged it for an easier way of life?
Jesus said, "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?" If you were standing before Jesus right now, and your soul had been exchanged for some type of sin, what would you need to exchange in order to get it back?
Paul lets us know, "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content... For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.(1 Timothy 6:6-8;10). You can give your heart back to Jesus and gain back your salvation.
Jesus has prepared the greatest of all gifts, and Acts 2:38 tells us how to receive it, so don't trade your soul for the emptiness of this world.
