What is the meaning of Luke 9:25? What does it profit • Jesus poses the value statement: “What does it profit…” (Luke 9:25). • The word profit speaks of bottom-line gain; it weighs outcomes, just as Proverbs 11:4 reminds that “Riches do not profit in the day of wrath.” • In Matthew 16:26 and Mark 8:36 the same warning appears, underscoring that this is a non-negotiable principle, not a passing comment. • Paul echoes the thought in 1 Timothy 6:6-10, where he contrasts fleeting riches with true gain found in godliness. A man • The Lord addresses every person—no one is exempt (Romans 3:23). • Psalm 49:7-9 stresses that no man can redeem another’s life; each must face this verse personally. • Hebrews 9:27 reminds that “people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,” so the appeal is urgent and individual. To gain the whole world • Jesus exaggerates deliberately: even if someone captured every ounce of earthly success, it would still be a shaky investment. • Solomon’s experiment in Ecclesiastes 2:4-11 shows that palaces, vineyards, and treasures left him empty. • The parable of the rich fool in Luke 12:16-21 depicts a man piling up barns yet dying that very night. • Satan offered Jesus “all the kingdoms of the world” in Matthew 4:8-10; Christ refused, proving that worldly gain is never worth spiritual compromise. Yet lose or forfeit • “Lose” pictures ultimate ruin; “forfeit” stresses a voluntary trade-off. People can knowingly exchange eternal life for temporal advantage, as Judas did (Acts 1:16-20). • Hebrews 2:3 warns against “neglecting so great a salvation,” showing that loss can come by simple indifference. • Romans 6:23 states that “the wages of sin is death,” identifying the true cost behind the bargain. His very self • The phrase points to the soul—your conscious, eternal person (Mark 8:37). • Jesus speaks of the everlasting dimension addressed again in Matthew 25:46, where destinies are “eternal life” or “eternal punishment.” • Revelation 20:11-15 shows the finality of the Great White Throne judgment, when anyone not in the Book of Life is cast into the lake of fire; that is the ultimate forfeiture. • In hopeful contrast, Psalm 49:15 declares, “God will redeem my soul from Sheol,” a promise secured through Christ (1 Peter 1:9). summary Luke 9:25 weighs temporal success against eternal destiny and declares that the exchange rate is disastrously lopsided. Earthly gain, even at its widest possible extent, vanishes next to the worth of a single soul. The verse summons every individual to place faith in Christ, hold the world loosely, and treasure the life that lasts forever. |
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