Lesson 6
September 17, 2025
What Will It Profit a Man If He Gains the Whole World, and Loses His Own Soul?
Mark 8:36 (ESV) 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
Adapted from Polishing the Pulpit, Branson 2025, presented by Don Blackwell
Class Overview
What Will It Profit a Man? (Mark 8:36)
- The soul's eternal value infinitely outweighs any temporary worldly gains.
- People often trade their souls for money, pleasure, popularity, relationships, or even through simple neglect.
- The soul's immense worth is defined by being created in God's image and by the price Christ paid for it.
- True discipleship requires self-denial—dying to self and worldly desires to live for Christ.
The soul is eternal, while worldly gains are temporary. To gain the whole world at the cost of your soul is an eternal loss with no possibility of exchange.
The World Versus the Soul
When Jesus asks what it profits a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul, He is highlighting a fundamental conflict. The "world" represents worldly desires—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2). People are constantly tempted to trade their eternal soul for temporary gains. This trade can be for:
- Money and Career: Like the rich young ruler, many choose wealth or career advancement over following Christ.
- Popularity: Figures like Pilate and the Pharisees sacrificed truth for the approval of others.
- Pleasure: Both sinful and seemingly innocent pleasures can distract from one's spiritual purpose.
- Relationships: Family and marital ties can sometimes lead individuals to compromise their faith.
- Negligence: Simply failing to serve God is, in itself, a trade of the eternal for the temporary.
The Incalculable Value of the Soul
The soul's value is immense and can be understood in three ways:
- Its Origin: The soul is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). We are His offspring (Acts 17:28), which gives us inherent worth.
- Its Price: Its value is most clearly defined by the price paid to redeem it—not silver or gold, but the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18).
- Its Longevity: The soul is eternal. Worldly possessions are fleeting, but the loss of the soul is an eternal loss, a reality emphasized throughout Scripture.
The Call to Self-Denial and Discipleship
Understanding the soul's value leads directly to Jesus' call to discipleship in Mark 8:34: "deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Taking up one's cross is not about a literal burden, but a daily decision to die to self—our own desires, ambitions, and worldly attachments—in order to live for Christ (Galatians 2:20). It is a conscious exchange of a life lived for self for a life lived in devotion to Him.
Following Christ is a path open to anyone who desires it and begins with hearing, believing, repenting, confessing faith, and being baptized for the remission of sins.
Video of class
Study Game and Interactive Study Questions
Quiz: What Will It Profit a Man?
Quiz Complete!
Trade or Treasure?
Drag each placard into the best column. “Trade” = a worldly exchange that risks the soul; “Treasure” = soul-first, eternal value (Mk 8:36; 1 Jn 2:15–17).
Worldly Trade (bad)
Soul-First Treasure (good)
Hints from class: rich young ruler (Mt 19), Ananias & Sapphira (Acts 5), Pilate (Mk 15:15), rich fool (Lk 12), love of money (1 Tim 6:10), neglect (1 Cor 15:58; Gal 6:9).
Game 2: Scripture Match-Up
Click on the cards to flip them over. Match the key concept from the lesson with its corresponding Bible reference.
Moves: 0