When asked what we value the most in our lives, the answer is usually either (but not limited to) our careers, money, physical assets, appearance, or even the very clothes we wear. We hold many things in this life at a very high value, but selfish desires or gains drive the importance we place on both material and non-material things. Likewise, many Christians value their walk with Jesus Christ for various reasons, but how many respond with an emphasis on the importance of their souls? The value of the soul may cross our minds occasionally, but how much emphasis is placed on its value?Â
The Creator of the Soul
Many material things we value very highly usually have a name attached. For example, we subconsciously place a very high value on name-brand clothing or the brand name displayed on our car. But if the creator determines its value, how much more value should be placed on what God has created in comparison? God, the Creator of the universe and everything it consists of, including our souls, is the Name we bear even without material things. We enjoy the sunlight that graces our faces in the morning and the stars at night that are all individually named, but what about His greatest creation? Have we forgotten that we are created in His image (Genesis 1:26)? The material things we work for in this life do not bear their creator's very essence and image, nor is it unique. There is more than one clothing brand, car brand, home builder, or phone maker, but there is only one soul Creator.
The Price of the Soul
We all recognize and enjoy the blessings of God, but how many of us truly understand the gift given to us by the Creator of the universe? God came as one of His creations to save His creation from His righteous wrath (John 3:16). If God has that much love for our souls, shouldn't we have the same perspective on the value of the soul?Â
The most critical view of the soul's value is recognizing the price paid for its redemption. The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 1:18-19 that we were not purchased with corruptible things like silver and gold but by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, the Creator in the flesh, redeemed us from what was due to us. So if the Creator purchased us with His own life, gaining the whole world and its riches is worthless in comparison.Â
The Valuable Choice
Only two things are guaranteed in our realm: life and death. Death is a subject none of us want to talk about, but it does not negate the truth that it is inevitable. Everything we work for or pursue in this life will cease to exist once we leave this earth. But the value we place on our souls will determine the path our souls take at the fork in the road of eternity, the second death or eternal life.Â
God has made Himself known without excuse (Romans 1:20), but some, unfortunately, refuse to believe in His existence. But like it is explained in Pascal's Wager, the belief in the existence of God is a gamble all of us must place a wager on. If God truly exists and we believe, we gain everything. But if God does not exist, we lose nothing. Jesus said in Mark 8:36 that you gain nothing by obtaining everything in the world if you lose your soul. Therefore, it's evident that the soul is worth more than anything in this world.
As Christians, we have the assurance from the Creator Himself that death is just a transfer of location and not the end. But it is up to us to determine if we will choose eternal death or eternal life, and our souls depend on it. So why not value our souls enough to guide us through life's decisions? We can argue back and forth about the inerrancy of the Bible, its historical events, the birth of Jesus, or even the existence of God. But when it is all said and done, the Christian will either gain all or lose nothing, but the unbeliever will gain nothing or lose all. The same effort we place on acquiring and holding onto material things we value, we should put the same effort into securing our most valuable possession.
Our souls are the wager, and it is up to us to choose to play the Royal Flush the Royal King has given us to gain eternal life. Christianity is more than just a lifestyle or a simple belief system but an eternal promise from the Creator Himself. It's time for all of us to wake up and see the signs of the time and make a clear, unwavering decision on where our souls will reside for eternity.