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? -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?
Matthew 16:26


What do Jesus’ words in the verse mean in the light of our church theme for this year – Walk Worthily?

The verse here is Jesus’ call to us to a cross-bearing discipleship. It was uttered in the context of verses 24 to 28 of chapter 16 of Matthew’s gospel. The context of this paragraph of scripture is Jesus’ counsel to us that if we were to follow after Him, we ought to “deny” ourselves and “take up” our crosses.

The lifestyle of the people of God, the church, is to be aligned with Christ in His suffering. The disciple is called to be a servant, to bear the identity of the Cross in living for Christ and His kingdom. Peter wrote later of our taking the “death route” saying, “He that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God” (1 Pet 4:2). And Paul writes of our break with the old man, a break as decisive as death, and of the old man being replaced by a new man (Col 3: 9 – 10). This break from the old life he calls the crucifixion of the old man. As we read in Romans 6:6, our old man is crucified by identification with Him, so that the sin-nature may be “destroyed.” These references deal with the nature of the inner transformation wrought by the grace of Christ. But in the passage in Matthew 16: 24 – 28 Jesus is expressing the nature of His calling to discipleship.

Discipleship, in the sphere of conduct, means saying no to the sinful ego; it means being prepared to suffer in the company of Christ; it means giving up selfish ambition and, in so doing, finding one’s true self in the fellowship of Christ.

On these verses, Mathew Henry, the classic bible teacher says, “A true disciple of Christ is one that does follow him in duty, and shall follow him to glory. He is one that walks in the same way Christ walked in, is led by his Spirit, and treads in his steps, whithersoever he goes.”

If self-denial is a hard demand, it is no more than what our Lord learned and practised to redeem us and to teach us.

The world, the devil, and a man’s own heart are opposed to his salvation; therefore it is difficult. The soul was made for God, and can never be united to him, nor be happy, till saved from sin: therefore it is necessary.

In Christ,
Rev Robert Chew