Are we rich or poor? We can have material riches, or more valuable spiritual riches. Are we satisfied with what we have, or are we hungering for greater riches? In the Laodicean time period, the angel of the church, who are the leaders, say, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Revelation 3:17
We can have earthly goods in abundance, but at the same time be poor in spiritual riches. Jesus said, “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he posesseth.” Luke 12:15
“For what is 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
If someone would offer you the whole world, and the only thing you have to pay for it is your soul, would you sell your soul? This offer was made to Jesus.
“Again, the devil taketh Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto Him, All these things will I give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me.” Matthew 4:8–9
Jesus refused this offer, but many professing Christians sell their souls to Satan for a small price.
Judas sold his soul for 30 pieces of silver. Millions of people are selling their souls to Satan for a short enjoyment of sin.
Satan is bargaining with people, offering them a higher and higher price, until they decide to sell their souls.
When we were born into this world, God did not send us here empty handed. He gave us a body, with eyes, ears, feet, hands, and brains. He also gave us the soul, the inner man, with mind, memory, and understanding.
He gave us talents, and inherited abilities. He gave us innocence and a beautiful childlike faith. He also gave us His angels to protect us, and the Holy Spirit to speak to us, and to comfort us. He gave us a conscience to protect us from sin. Also He gave the hope of eternal life. He gave His Son to die for our sins. To have all these makes us truly rich.
But then comes Satan and starts bartering with us. Already at an early age he wants to buy our innocence, and as a payment he is offering the knowledge of sin. As soon as children have the knowledge of sin and corruption they will have temptations to sin. Then he wants our body, our eyes, and ears, offering to us attractive pictures and sounds to draw us to him. Instead of beholding Christ, our eyes and ears are turned to the exciting things that Satan offers. He wants to control the avenues to our soul. The price that Satan wants from us is to stop reading the Bible, and meditating upon it. He also wants us to neglect prayer, and not go to all the church meetings. He wants our minds and thoughts, to be replaced with vain imaginations, sensual thoughts, and finally he wants our heart, and thus our whole body becomes the servant of sin.
Little by little all the gifts God gave us are sold to Satan. Our talents are given to him for serving the world. He will replace the Holy Spirit with his own evil spirit. The angels that protected us he replaces with his own angels, the demons. In the end he buys our soul, the hope of eternal life. Now Satan is laughing, and he leaves us to our own misery, and goes after other victims. And all that Satan offered us in the exchange for our soul breaks like a soap bubble, and suddenly we have nothing left. Now we are truly poor, and empty-handed. We may flatter ourselves that we are rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, but God says, “You are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” We have sold our happiness for misery, our eyesight for blindness, our garments of righteousness for nakedness.
“For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.” Matthew 13:12. Yet many do not know or recognize their poverty. The value of the people who have lost their salvation is nothing. “All nations before Him are as nothing; and they are counted to Him less than nothing, and vanity.” Isaiah 40:17
If we have sold our precious God-given gifts, there is still hope today. The prodigal son took all the riches that God had given him, and spent them in riotous living. After he was hungry, in tattered garments, and penniless, he decided to return to his Father. Christ is offering us to buy the heavenly riches from Him. “I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.” Revelation 3:18
The price that you have to pay is all that Satan gave you in exchange for your soul, that is all your sins. Solomon writes to us, “Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.” Proverbs 23:23
“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:33
The price seems high, but what we gain is a million times more than what we give up. “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9
Still today, Jesus is offering us the heavenly riches, but for how long, we do not know.
The story of the five foolish virgins is a warning to anyone who is hesitating and delaying to buy the precious salvation. They went to buy, but the door was shut and they remained outside. These virgins were members of God’s church, but had neglected to make full surrender to God.
In the beginning, I asked a question, “Are we rich or poor?” Did we find an answer to this question? Paul writes, “As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” 2 Corinthians 6:10. Do we understand this?
Of Moses we read, “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.” Hebrews 11:25–26
“Only through Christ can we obtain eternal riches. The wealth that He gives is beyond all computation. Having found God, you are supremely rich in the contemplation of His treasure. ‘Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.'” –The Review and Herald, December 10, 1901
“He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will He pay him again.” Proverbs 19:17
“He who makes this investment lays up double treasure. Besides that which, however wisely improved, he must leave at last, he is amassing wealth for eternity,—that treasure of character which is the most valuable possession of earth or heaven.” –Education, p. 141
“The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it.” Proverbs 10:22
The worldly riches are different. “For the love of money is the root of evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” 1 Timothy 6:10
Jesus said, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Mark 8:36. And Solomon adds to it, “Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.” Proverbs 23:4
Let us seek the true riches which satisfy the soul hunger, and make us rich in eternal riches, beside which the worldly riches lose their attraction. Amen.
Timo Martin