Matthew 16:26 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?
One man’s soul is more valuable than all the
riches of the world. This is the math of Jesus. How is your math? We do not
have the temptation to hazard our soul for the riches of the world. Few
Christians are in a position to hazard their soul for great wealth or fame or
power. But we do have these temptations in small ways. We see that many
Christians do not do their math aright. They hazard their souls at a much
smaller price, for the sake of position in the corporate world, or power in
politics, or for the alluring sentient pleasures purchased with riches.
Do a
thought experiment. What aspects of your faith in Christ do you hold back or
even hide in order to advance your career, be seen as sophisticated in the
corporate or political or academic world? How do you spend your riches on
pleasure instead of in denying yourself and taking up your cross?
The flesh is not opposed to physicality. The
flesh is that part of us which denies the Lord and takes up our way over His.
His way includes times of refreshing and the Lord blesses us in body as well as
Spirit. So, rest and pleasures are part of His gift to us. But when they become
idols, then we are to utterly repudiate them for the sake of Christ.
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