Things New and Old: For what shall it profit you...?

Things New and Old

Ancient truths revealed in the Scriptures are often forgotten, disbelieved or distorted, and therefore lost in the passage of time. Such ancient truths when rediscovered and relearned are 'new' additions to the treasury of ancient truths.

Christ showed many new things to the disciples, things prophesied by the prophets of old but hijacked and perverted by the elders and their traditions, but which Christ reclaimed and returned to His people.

Many things taught by the Apostles of Christ have been perverted or substituted over the centuries. Such fundamental doctrines like salvation by grace and justification have been hijacked and perverted and repudiated by sincere Christians. These doctrines need to be reclaimed and restored to God's people.

There are things both new and old here. "Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things" 2Ti 2:7.

Monday, March 28, 2022

For what shall it profit you...?

How does gaining the whole material world profit you?
Can anything be plainer?

https://www.facebook.com/sing.f.lau/posts/10211320331539522
March 28, 2018

"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"

Mark 8
¶ 34 And when he 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.
35 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.
36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

How often you and I have been made to believe that these solemn words are addressed to unbelievers, those who have not professed faith, those still dead in trespasses and sins?

Look again at those words in the context of the whole paragraph. To whom are those words addressed? They are addressed:
- to whosoever will come after Jesus and follow after Him;
- to whosoever who shall lose his life for Jesus' and His gospel's sake.

Who are the "whosoever" that will come after Jesus and follow after Him and who shall lose his life for Jesus' and His gospel's sake? Those still dead in trespasses and sins? Ask again.

Being fickle-minded is a besetting sin among God's redeemed people. We will to follow Christ but won't will to deny ourselves; we count it too costly to lose our lives for the sake Christ and His gospel. We want to save it for ourselves; what happens? We lose it.

When we want to save our redeemed lives for ourselves and let say, IF, in the process, EVEN IF we gain the whole world, which is completely and absolutely impossible, we shall still lose our souls.

No, this is not about your eternal salvation in Christ Jesus. It is about us foolish MESSING up our redeemed life BIG TIME through our choices in discipleship.