What does it Profit a man
Matthew 16:26
Introduction
Due to the recent financial condition of the country, the forecast in the financial world is that prices would go up. Here in NZ, the prices of houses have all came up so they are expecting that interest rates will also go up giving more financial burdens to already hard up mortgage payers.
We now live in what we call profit oriented generation. Profit means getting gain from some service. When the profits are down prices usually go up. Every business is operated on the principle of making profit. If the company you are working is raking profits then you have job stability, and it follows that when the company loses money, then there would be job reduction.
The Bible tells several things that gives no profit. Mat 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?”
I. No Profit in Riches
Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
A. Think about this.
1. The Lord is telling us that there is no profit when a person loses his soul.
2. It doesn’t matter even you are the richest man in this world.
3. When a rich person dies without Christ, he have lost everything.
1 John 2:15-16 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
B. The world is consists of three things:
1. Lust of the flesh.
a. This is carnality or strong desire to gratify the sexual urges without limit
2. Lust of the eyes.
a. Allowing the eyes to get all that they see, that is being attracted to something beautiful in its appearance but resulting in sin and opposition against God.
3. The pride of life.
a. The feeling of superiority or the arrogance over one’s position or situation
C. If we have all these three, then we would have gained the entire world.
1. Man wants Riches even getting it in the wrong way
a. Note: Luke 12:16-21
b. If God wants us to be rich, He can always do that (1Sam. 2:7; Eccl. 5:19)
c. Ill-gotten wealth will bring sadness. 1Ti 6:10
2. The Bible normally looks at riches in the negative sense.
a. Luke 16, the rich man and died and went to hell.
b. Jesus said, the rich hardly go to heaven.
c. It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to go to heaven.
d. The reason riches are looked upon as negative is that not many can have riches and still have a right relationship with God.
e. You cannot serve God and mammon at the same time.
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II. No Profit in Religion
A. Paul Tells Us About Religion.
Romans 3:1 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?
Gal. 5:2 “Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.”
1. The context here is that the Jews are boasting of their religion.
2. Circumcision is referring to the Jewish religion.
3. Paul then instructs them saying that they could not be more religious than him.
Philippians 3:4-7 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 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.
4. Paul is denouncing his gain by religious rites and ceremonies
5. There is no profit in religion.
Religion cannot save, church cannot save, the Bible says only one way, and that is Christ.
B. No Profit In The Gift Of Tongues.
1 Cor. 14:6) “Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?”
1. We hear great boasting at present about the advantage for those who speak in tongues.
2. Paul says, “What shall I profit you…?” He is referring to speaking in tongues.
3. Religion will send more people to hell than drugs, prostitution, gambling or alcohol.
a. Religion is deceitful.
b. Religion will tell you that what you do is acceptable with God.
c. If you base your life on religion that is different from the Bible, you are on your way to hell.
4. Religion is a stumbling block into heaven.
a. Religion is a deterrent to salvation.
b. Mark 10:17-22 says that He was very religious. He had kept the law in every point, yet still not saved in the eyes of the Lord.
C. Don’t depend upon religion.
1. The only way you can go to heaven is through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
2. You can be the most religious person in the world but when you die you still go to hell.
3. Religion is the enemy of the cross.
4. It is the enemy of salvation.
5. Religion is the devil’s way. Don’t follow religion.
III. No Profit In Dead Faith
(James 2:14) “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?”
A. Church Attendance.
1. Church attendance is important to the spiritual growth of believers, but it cannot make us real believers.
2. Many people try to prove their faith in Christ by their church attendance.
3. Church attendance is not much proof of our faith in Christ.
B. An unsaved person can attend church regularly.
1. Dead faith means there is no works.
2. To have faith and not perform works is dead faith.
3. Dead faith will not save you.
4. If our faith in Christ does not necessitate you for service to God, then the Word of God is saying we have dead faith, and we are not saved.
5. Dead faith brings idle words.
James 2:16 “And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?”
a. Prayer
1) We take prayer requests in every service.
2) In many cases there are life and death situations.
3) If we promise a person to pray for them, and did not, then we have uttered idle words, and there is no profit for anyone in such a thing.
b. Helping others.
1) Supposing we know of a family in our midst who is having a hard time financially.
2) Maybe they come to you or you go to them.
3) If we leave them and say , “God bless you, and I will pray for you.”
4) We are guilty of “idle words.”
5) If we have what they need and we do not give it to them, then where is the profit?
IV. There Is Profit In Salvation
A. Salvation is eternal.
John 10:28 “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”
1. We find that the Scripture teaches that when people get saved they are profited greatly.
1 Cor. 10:33 “Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.”
2. I would rather be saved than be the the richest man in the world.
3. To have that peace of mind that when I die I will go to heaven is of much greater benefit than earthly riches.
B. Rich man or poor man who rejects the love of God that was shown in the cross will go to hell.
Rom. 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
1. Salvation is a matter of faith or belief.
2. Paul told the Philippian jailer to “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…” Acts 16:31
3. Belief in Christ offers tremendous profit.
Conclusion:
Think of your life as an investment. Where will you invest our life to gain the greatest benefit? Not in the wealth of this world, not in religion, not in dead faith. We need to invest our lives with eternity on sight. Come to Christ, and be saved. It’s the best investment you can do.
Preached: 06 October 2013
