Mark wrote when Jesus, “had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?, and in chapter eight and verse thirty-seven of his book, Mark shared how Jesus said, “what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” where we read:
Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
The verse reads, “Or what shall a man give ...” Mark began with Jesus' words, “or what” which means “or what object or thing” “shall a man” or “will a person whether male or female” “give” which means “grant, bestow, furnish or supply”. Mark shared how Jesus questioned “what thing” will any person “bestow, grant and supply” for the following.
The verse continues, “... in exchange for his soul?” Mark added the words, “in exchange” which means “that which is given in place of another thing in order to keep or acquire anything” “for his soul” or “on behalf of that person's own personal seat of the feelings, desires, affections and aversions”? Mark shared how Jesus asked what thing could a person find to “give in place” of their own “soul”.
When we think through Mark's words in this verse, we see how Jesus rhetorically asked what thing is so “valuable” they could “exchange” it for their own “soul”? Things, no matter how much “value” is put upon them, are not worth as much as a person's “soul”. The “soul” of a person lives forever, and all the earthly things are “temporary”. God values the “everlasting life” of every person, and He sent His Son Jesus to die for the sins of the world so people could live with Him forever. Those who receive His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” will receive “everlasting life”, and those who “exchange” their “souls” for “temporary” earthly things will find themselves greatly short-changed as they live their “eternal life” separated from God in a place Jesus called “Hell”. Let all who read these words submit their “eternal” “souls” to Jesus.
Next time Mark shares how Jesus says, “whosoever there shall be ashamed of me and of my words … of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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