Jesus said, “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). Is your soul for sale? The devil would like for it to be. He will give you anything within his power for it. Sadly, there have been many over the years who have sold their soul to the devil, and in each case, the devil has gotten a bargain. The soul is the most precious thing in the world. You do not own anything as valuable as your soul. Amazingly, many will exchange their soul for little in return. Here are some examples:
Popularity
Everyone likes to be popular, at least to a certain extent. It is nice to have people pay attention to you. It is nice to be flattered by words. It feels good to know that others like you. But, are these things worth the soul? The answer, of course, is no. Paul realized that, and so, he was willing to give up things that would make him very popular. In Philippians 3 we read the following about Paul: “Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ” (Philippians 3:5-7).
Paul went from being esteemed among the Jews to being an enemy. He could go back to Judaism and regain his lost standing in the Jewish community. He could sell his soul for popularity, but it was not worth it to him. What about you? Is popularity worth the cost of your soul? I hope not.
Earthly Riches
The Devil has frequently cashed in on man’s desire to possess the riches of this world. Demas sold his soul for the things of this world. Paul said, “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world. . .” (2 Timothy 4:10). He was not the last one to sell his soul for riches. It happens all the time. Many are obsessed with the lure of the mighty dollar.
Think of all the people who have lived recklessly as they chase mammon. Think of all the drug pushers, thieves, scam artists, etc., that have one thing in common: the love of money. Think of those who have lost their life savings by gambling. It may be, according to society, that they have a disease; that they now can no longer stop themselves from gambling, but rest assured, it all started because of the love of money. Think about the lives destroyed because of an overbearing desire to be rich. Truly, the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10). The sad thing is that many sell their souls just by fanatically seeking riches which most never obtain, and even those who do, do not seem to realize that riches will never completely satisfy them (Ecclesiastes 5:10).
Do citizens of the kingdom of God have to be careful of this? Yes! It is not just a problem among worldly-minded people outside of Christ. It is a danger of which we must all be aware. Jesus was speaking to those who would be members of the body of Christ when He said, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:19-21). Let us all be on guard and be sure to set our affections on things above, not on earthly things (Colossians 3:2). Don’t sell your soul to the Devil for earthly riches that vanish with time. It is not worth it!
The Desires of the Flesh
This is another area where Satan has enjoyed great success. Many say, “What can be wrong with bringing a little pleasure to one’s self, especially when no one else is hurt by my actions? What is wrong with gratifying my desire to feel good?”
Commercials on T.V. abound with advertisements that suggest the only way to live is to fulfill fleshly desires, most of which are contrary to God’s law. Sadly, many are buying into this doctrine of the devil.
The majority of people in the world conclude that there is nothing wrong with getting drunk once in a while, as long as one is not an alcoholic. What about the worldly concession that there is not anything especially bad about having sex outside of the union of marriage, as long as it is done safely? I have even heard pornography justified, as long as it is done with taste. Those who reason like this have sold their souls to the devil. The ones who have given in to the lust of the flesh have exchanged the salvation of their souls for the pleasures of sin that last for only a moment. Is it worth it? Of course not! It is better to follow the advice of the Spirit and crucify the flesh (Galatians 5:24) than to sell the soul and spend eternity in a devil’s hell.
What is your soul worth to you? What is more important to you than the salvation of your soul? I hope nothing. If you want to sell something, sell yourself to Christ, (the One Who purchased the church with His own blood) and serve Him all the days of your life. That’s something worth doing.