Posted at Reformation Scotland:
The Lord cares little for the world. He values people’s souls very highly, and we value them little. He values the world little, and we value it very highly. Even if someone gains the whole world, and loses his own soul, he is but a fool, and he has made a very bad bargain. - William GuthrieHow will we set our priorities for the coming year? What assets do we have, which we can develop, and what are we going to spend our resources on pursuing? Two radically different estimates come back when we put our souls out to tender. Jesus values one soul at more than the whole world. Which of us would share his valuation? In an urgent sermon on Matthew 16:26, William Guthrie highlighted the huge disparity between God’s estimate of the human soul, and the human estimate. What the Lord regards as insignificant, we throw ourselves at and pursue with vigour. What we rate very highly, Jesus sees as frivolous. William Guthrie, in the following updated extract, seeks to impress on us the utter necessity of re-evaluating our priorities, while we still have time.
“For what is a man profited, if he should gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or, what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26)
Christ has been urging the company who were hearing Him, and His own disciples also, to lay themselves out for the truth, at all hazards. In these words that I have read in your hearing, He uses a double argument. The one is, What is a man profited, if he should gain the whole world, and lose his own soul for that worldly gain? The truth is, he is a perfect and an absolute loser. It cannot be counted what loss he has, and how bad a bargain he has made. The other is, If a man lays his soul as a pawn, or pledge for this, he will not be able to set it free again when he wishes. The text says, “What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” From these words, I hold out to you the following doctrines.