What Does It Profit to Gain the World and Forfeit Your Life?

(Mark 8:34-38)

What does it profit to gain the whole world and lose your life? This question was posed by Jesus to his disciples and the people along with another. What can a man give in return for his life?

Too often today we see people make the wrong decisions and forfeit their life for the wrong reasons. This world is driven by greed and the desire for money.

Profit is the driving force behind most decisions that are made for the sake of making money. The welfare of people comes a distant second or third for business after the all consuming greed for making money.

This lust for money has also found its way into the modern church. There are many in the church preaching a wealth ministry where it is supposedly God’s plan for his people to be wealthy. This is a false teaching that has no basis in scripture.

While there is great value to be had with godliness, as Paul wrote to Timothy (1 Timothy 4:8), nowhere in scripture does it promote that the people of God should seek after wealth.

Money is of this world, not of God. Jesus showed this when they brought him a coin to pay the tax to Caesar saying, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Mark 12 :17) He showed that money belonged to this world for it belongs to Caesar, not God.

Money is shown to be a hindrance, especially the lust for money, “For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs.” (1 Timothy 6:10) So if the love of money causes some to wander away from the faith, why do some pastors and teachers today think it is God’s will that people should be wealthy? Why do they think that people should surround themselves with wealth, material possessions and riches, when all of these things are of this world, and will fail?

It is the devil who controls the wealth of this world. He offered all the kingdoms of the world to Jesus when he was in the wilderness saying, “And the devil took him up, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory; for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will.” (Luke 4:5-6) So if it is the devil who controls the wealth of this world, why do some preachers consider that to be wealthy is a promise of God?

What does it profit to gain the whole world and lose your life? It profits nothing. The only true profit is to seek God and his kingdom. Jesus said not to worry about what we will eat, drink or wear. He said not to worry about the things of this world for he knows we need to eat, be clothed and sheltered and he has promised to provide for our needs. But of much greater importance is to, “…seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.” (Matthew 6:33)

Our priorities as Christians are not to be focussed on the riches, wealth and material possessions of this world. Our priority lies with focussing on the things of the Spirit and seeking God’s kingdom. That is where our true profit is to be found. That is where we will find our life rather than any and all gain that might be had in this world, which is doomed to destruction.

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