Our True Kingdom Reward

Some in today’s world would do anything, give anything to get the fame and glory and praise of men of this world.  Just look at the TV sometimes and we are bombarded by commercials that show lots of the foolishness of men in them. Some just advertise the next trashy shows that are coming soon to your TV.  People’s minds are in the wrong place, they focus on the here and right now moments in life.

Peter and the rest of the apostles had been thinking about a worldly Messianic kingdom, with its profits and rewards. Jesus shows them the worthlessness even of the whole world in comparison with the rewards of the His true kingdom. If the world really knew the truth. What have we gained but a sin cursed world.

God did not want them to be concerned with the Messianic kingdom he wanted them to be concerned with the His true kingdom of heaven and its reward. They were focused on this present world. God wants us to keep our minds on the things above.  We need to follow his will for our lives. If we gain anything it is but sadness, depression, loneliness, regret, confusion, and destruction.

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?

 God needs nothing in this world but your obedience and sacrifice to him.

What is a man profited, = It implies, that the salvation of a man’s soul is so infinitely more important to him, so beyond and above anything he can get, or anything he can lose, anything he can enjoy or suffer on this side the grave, that nothing which this world offers can make up for the loss of it.

It also implies, that there may be something of value to man himself.

If we focus on this present world We have no real life in Christ. If we quit the faith or leave the path of righteousness under the notion of promoting oneself interests within this world we shall be greatly and gravely mistaken.

To lose his own soul = means to be cast away, to be shut out from heaven, to be sent to hell. “If he gains the whole world and destroy or forfeit himself.” How awful is that. No one wants to be rejected! Rejection hurts! It hurts our feelings; it hurts our hearts.  It could even cause us to reject our loving God grace and mercy!

A few things are implied by Jesus in these questions:

First, that they who are striving to gain the world, and are unwilling to give it up for the sake of religion, will lose their souls; and be sent to hell for eternity.

Those who are not willing to follow Jesus in obedience to God, will lose their souls and be sent to hell fro all of eternity. What a poor choice on their part!

Eternity = forever

This is clearly speaking of one who has clearly given away their soul to Satan and chosen not to repent and confess. This is a total rejection of God.

Second, that if the soul is lost, nothing can be given in exchange for it, nor can it ever be saved after their rejection of God. There is no redemption in hell.

What can be a proportionable exchange or compensation for your soul or for his son Jesus? Nothing!

Bartering is out of the question. Man’s soul is his sole inheritance and if he has lost it he has lost all.

                            Bartering = trading or exchanging, with God.

Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

God has given this to each one of us that have life.

God has entrusted every one of us with a living soul of inestimable worth and preciousness, capable of being saved or lost, and that to all eternity. The gain of the whole world is not comparable with the loss of one’s precious living soul. The soul’s loss is an incomprehensible and irrecoverable loss.

This is important!

God has entrusted meaning he has trusted you with his most valued possession and he wants it back at some point we must cherish it and return it in like fashioned when he calls us home.

Remember the story of the talents the Master trusted his servants with his talents some use them and profited other buried them.

Psalms 49:7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:

We cannot help ourselves we have no saving power without God.

No one here could ever save ourselves from anything because we are not God, so we need to stop acting like we are. The world may tell you that we are gods, but we will never be like our creator or as great as him. We are made in his likeness, but we will never be him.

Surely a man cannot redeem, (The Hebrew term padah means “to ransom” or “to rescued” or “to deliver”. or “to redeem”.)  The psalmist as well as ourselves  should not fear the rich and powerful,  because their wealth does not give them the power to buy life. Even if  we could be a millionaire, or a billionaire and still would not be unable to save themselves or others from the sin of this world.

Psalms 49:8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:) 

it ceaseth for ever—that is, the ransom fails, the price is too precious, and too costly. So, this ends it forever.

Ceaseth = end,  the end forever.

We find that there is no profit to us in this world and there is nothing that has been crated that God wants in exchange for your living soul. Please don’t reject Him today! Today is the day of your salvation and now is the time.

Our true kingdom reward is in heaven, and it is eternal life!

Eternal life = everlasting life = never ends!  Amen!

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.