Human beings are created in the image of God to reflect His glory as the crown of all creation. You may be very financially successful, physically fit, or have any possession you desire. But in the end it will profit you nothing if you do not take hold of that which is truly life.
And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Mark 8:34-38
The Standard
Everything you are and do is meant to glorify Him.
Q: What is the chief end of man?
A: Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.
Westminster Shorter Catechism
Consider how well you measure up to God’s standard:
And [Jesus] said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 22:37–40
Unless you have done these 2 things perfectly your whole life, then you have not and cannot live up to the standard set by Him.
The Problem
Except for Christ, no one has lived up to this standard.
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
Romans 3:23
How can someone justify oneself before a perfectly holy and righteous Judge? Can you say “Well Judge, I know I’m guilty of breaking the law, but I’m doing a lot of good things for You now, so can you let me go free?” Though an imperfect judge might, God will not and cannot take a bribe. He will always render perfect justice. There is nothing one can do to justify himself before God.
The Solution
The greatest need each of use has is to be justified (declared righteous) before God. So how is obtaining this made possible? The answer is given in the very next verse.
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Romans 3:23–24
And later in the book of Romans:
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23
Notice the economic terms scripture often uses to describe spiritual matters. Here we see a gift and redemption in play. Death is what we earn as “wages”, and true life is a “free gift” of God, and “redemption” is God buying us back to our created purpose, to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
Taking hold
Below is one of the most famous verses in the bible and contains a word translated as “so” which means “Thus, so, in this manner.”
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
To believe in Christ means to trust in him as savior and act upon everything said of Him and by Him as true. This is total commitment, complete spiritual transformation. It’s total surrender of one’s whole life, every capacity, faculty and possession to God and His purposes.
The Result
The resulting blessings are simply unmeasurable. There are many great and precious promises throughout scripture for the one who trusts Christ.
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
2 Peter 1:3–4
But embracing Christ comes at a cost. He asks you to turn away from sin, to relinquish your own sovereignty over your life and follow in His footsteps. He will change you, give you a new heart, new desires, and ask you to be like Him as best you are able.
And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Mark 8:34
The cross was a torturous instrument of death used by the Romans in capital punishment. You will then put to death the sin which you once embraced. You must not hold dear that which He gave His life for.
So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Romans 6:11
If you would like to learn more about this, the whole chapter of Romans 6 is a great description of what it means to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus.
For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.
Mark 8:35
Jesus is speaking of committing your whole life to Him. Trusting Him, following His commands, living for Him in everything you do and say. I encourage you to search the scriptures to learn more about this, and/or reach out to us at letters@thewholesteward.com!
The Priority
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
Mark 8:35
As a whole steward, your spiritual condition is top priority. You may run a successful business, have a beautiful house and family, drive your favorite car everyday, and leave an amazing legacy, but will these things earn favor with God?
For what can a man give in return for his soul?
Mark 8:37
Jesus asks a rhetorical question, implying there is nothing you can give in return for your soul. Only trust and obey Christ the Savior. Thus He says:
For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Mark 8:38
Recognize true and lasting wealth will only be found in Christ Jesus. How you invest spiritually will flow directly into what you do with every other form of capital.
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich
2 Corinthians 8:9
Reflect
How has God changed your life spiritually?
In what ways do you need to invest more spiritually?
Have questions? Email us letters@thewholesteward.com and include “Spiritual Reality Check” in the subject.
