The Only Ransom for Souls

“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?”

(Matt. 16:26)

There are many who labor their lifetimes to increase their treasures on earth, with relative success. Most do so without knowing or acknowledging that what they possess is given directly from the hand of the LORD, Ecclesiastes 5:19. Were it not for the LORD giving us the intelligence and ability to take what He has given us and increase its value, we would know nothing but abject poverty. Yet, all the wealth that we accrue can in no way pay a ‘ransom’ for our souls.

When the Scripture asks the question, ‘What shall a man give in exchange for his soul,’ the word ‘exchange’ means ‘ransom.’ The truth is that men as merchants and entrepreneurs may well exchange their goods with others and gain from it yet when it comes to paying what is necessary to satisfy a Holy God, in exchange for their soul, there is NOTHING that anyone can give to God for Him to show favor or redeem that soul in return.

The apostle Paul, writing to the Galatians stated, “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (Galatians 2:21) Had any by their will or works been able to accomplish the law, Christ would not have come. God seeing and knowing that there was no one among sinners that could ever satisfy His justice, He came in the flesh, in the person of His Son and satisfied Himself on behalf of those sinners that He chose from eternity. “And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.” (Isaiah 59:16)

“For what is a man profited...To gain the whole world...” and possess it as if it were his own with all its riches, honors and pleasures is vanity. “To lose his own soul" means to be cast away, to be shut out from God and ultimately cast into hell. Could the rich fool speak today, he would have to affirm God’s testimony in Luke 12:20: “But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?”

Two things are expressed by Christ in these questions:

1.) That those who are striving to gain the world and left to themselves will never renounce it for the sake of Christ and His Gospel and so will lose their souls. It is evident that they already have lost their souls. They were born in darkness and will die in that condemnation unless God has purposed to save them by the righteous work of His Son on their behalf, John 3:19-20.

2.) That if the soul is lost, nothing can be given in exchange for it by works, will or wages to expect God’s favor in return, “None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him.” (Psalm 49:7)

The Only Ransom for sinners is the death of the LORD Jesus and God’s righteousness that He imputed at the cross for His people when He had laid down His life for their sins. HE is the Only Ransom for sinners that God has saved by His Grace. He gave His life a ransom for many, literally ‘THE MANY’ [Mark 10:45].