Jesus once asked his disciples a huge question: “..what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26).
This elicits another question: how precious is the human soul?
Within every man is a divine soul, a jewel of inestimable value. Some have said that within every man is a king.
Now considering the question asked by Jesus, He could find nothing in the whole world that compares to the value of the soul.
He places the value of every soul more than the value of everything found in the world, which must be saved from his fallen sinful nature. For all have sinned (Rom 3:23); all are sinners by nature, by practice, and have come short of the glory of God.
The soul is so valuable that only the sinless Son of God could redeem it back to God, not any other sacrifice but the atoning death of Jesus. In Psalm 49:7 the Bible clearly states that “No man can by any means redeem his brother. Or give to God a ransom for him..” Only Jesus Christ could do this. (John 1:29).
This explains why He had to shed his precious blood through an agonizing death on the cross to save the souls of men. Why did Jesus have to suffer to redeem the soul of man? Scripture says- “For the redemption of his soul is costly..”. (Psalm 49:8).
Another thing about the soul is that all souls are alike.” The soul of the prince and peasant are equal and they belong to God. God Himself declares that “ Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father, as well as the soul of the son, is Mine”. (Ezekiel 18:4).
Adding to the value of the soul is its natural worth- unlike the perishable material things of this world, the soul is spiritual and immortal. God’s breath at creation lighted man and he became a living soul (Gen. 2:7) giving him a conscience that differentiates him from the animal of the field.
This is why anything that man injects to deaden his conscience is from the devil- drugs and any other substance that suppresses his faculties which gives him free reign to commit all sorts of atrocities.
Now, whereas the body is perishable the soul as we have explained does not perish but is immortal. Jesus says: “ Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul..” (Matthew 10:28).
What should men do with these information about the soul? That men should know that there is judgment after death and he should therefore pay even more attention to his soul than he does to his perishable body by feeding his soul with the word of God.
Yes, the soul, like the body needs food to thrive and also needs spiritual nourishment to be alive to God. The Psalmist says: “For He has satisfied the thirsty soul And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good. (Psalm 107:9).
As the body after death returns to the dust from where it was hewed the soul which has been described as a vessel of honor is reserved for judgement- whether it honored God or dishonored Him.
Concerning the judgment of the soul, Jesus says: “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned”. John 5:28-29).
Despite these massive qualities of the soul and its eternal nature, one becomes saddened to see on daily basis millions of men renting out their souls to devils without a care in the world.
We see men willingly renting out their souls to the devil in exchange for glories that perish. If only men knew the value of the soul.
If only men knew that what they are renting out to the devil is far more expensive than the perishable profits of short-lived fame and glory, they would run to Jesus the Redeemer for the salvation of their soul without casting another look at all satan has to offer.
If only men will pay earnest attention to the warning of Apostle Paul who declared that “…it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment”. (Hebrew 9:27).
Beloved, what are you still willing to give to the devil in exchange for your soul? Lust of eyes (materialism), lust of body (hedonism), and pride of life (egoism)? All these tend to deceive and destroy men.
Jesus says “The thief (the devil) cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I have come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly”. (John 10:10).
Are you still willing to give the imperishable for the perishable?
Reading.
(Mathew 4: 1-11).
