In the world souls are nothing more than mere merchandise as a means to profit. The souls themselves have no value to the worldly system other than merchandise of which to peddle goods in exchange for money. This is the worldly system that Believers are in but not of. We lay up our treasures in Heaven, not here in the worldly system.

It is this worldly system that the watchmen, the preachers and teachers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified, are to guard against infiltrating the church. If God called preachers and teachers do not tend to their duties of watchmen and contend for the faith, then the world and it’s ways will enter, and has in fact already entered, into the church where souls have become nothing more than mere merchandise.

Consider the seeker sensitive churches and their methods of filling the pews. When the teaching and preaching of the Word of God is set aside for entertaining, movies and cookouts your soul has become nothing more than merchandise and the preacher a hireling. This may offend some but I’m telling you the truth. Jesus said “…if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me.” (John 12:32); not a feast, festival, social or civic event but JESUS, Who He is and what He has done for whosoever will believe.

The worth of man’s soul is not found in the worldly system but in the Word of God. It is there we find the Creator of our soul created us in His image and considered our eternal soul worth the shed Blood of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. It is also there, in God’s Word, that we find the value of our soul is by no account deserved, yet so freely given and given abundantly by simple faith in the Son of God.

At the Cross of Christ, the sinner sees the perceived value of his soul to the worldly system and the true value of his soul to a Holy God and recognizes that no matter the sin, God did indeed first love us.

At this same Cross of Christ, the Saint recognizes their vain labor in the religious yet worldly systems can secure nothing more than weariness and they find rest in the Arms of a graceful and merciful Savior Who values their soul worthy of the price paid on Calvary’s Cross; a Savior Who will give the desires of our heart when we look unto Him, the Author and Finisher of our faith.

Recognize the worldly systems in the seeker sensitives churches seeking the your soul and understand your soul has no value in that system…it is nothing more than a pawn in the trafficking of souls to further the preacher, teacher or religious institution. The purpose of the church is to declare the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified to a lost and dying world and tell them the value of their soul according to God.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

Such is the value of man’s eternal soul; God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. The Eyes of the Lord search to and fro searching to show Himself strong in those whose hearts are perfect toward Him (2 Chronicles 16:9). How will He find your heart?

Prayerfully consider.

-Donna Clark Warren