I. The greatest treasure in heaven is a soul. The only thing God values is a soul. Why are souls so precious to God? Since every human being has free-choice, a soul who chooses to love God is infinitely cherished by Him. Despite the golden streets, beautiful mansions, gemstone foundations and pearly gates, the most valuable thing in heaven is a soul who has chosen to love God. Jesus said, “There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:10). God can create anything He wants by speaking a word, except for a soul. When God created the world, He said, “Let there be light” and there was light. The only thing God cannot create out of thin air is a free agent who chooses to love him. The saddest day in heaven was the day Adam and Eve were separated from God by sin. The happiest day in heaven was the day Jesus made it possible for mankind to be restored to God. It cost God nothing to create, but it cost Him everything to redeem. God paid an immeasurable high price for each soul - the blood of Jesus. This blood was shed on the cross to pay the redemption price for every sinner. No other commodity in the universe has ever commanded such a high purchase price. Just as the blood of American patriots purchased American freedom, so the blood of Jesus purchased eternal freedom. A soul was the only possession for which God was willing to sacrifice His only Son.
II. The greatest treasure in hell is a soul. Souls are the commodity of the universe. God wants souls. Satan wants souls. Eternal lives are what God and Satan are fighting over. The only way Satan can hurt God is by stealing a soul. “The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy…” (John 10:10). Every time a soul enters eternity, either Satan or God rejoices. If the soul goes to heaven, God and all the angels throw a party. If the soul winds up in hell, Satan and all the demons throw a party. Spiritual warfare without soul winning is pointless. You can stomp up and down and pray all day but you have not won a spiritual battle until you have snatched a soul from Satan’s grasp. Redeeming a soul from Satan’s grasp is the only way to hurt Satan. The angels rejoice when a sinner is saved. Equally important to understand is that demons get angry each time a sinner comes to God. Demonic powers will use any weapon in their nasty arsenal in order to prevent a soul from being saved. Satan’s greatest attacks are against those who are winning souls from his evil kingdom. He hates soul winners.
III. The greatest treasure on earth is a soul. God does not care about worldly wealth, all He cares about are souls. In the hustle and bustle of life, we place great value on money, cars, and houses; but when the Father looks down from heaven, all He cares about are people. A soul is worth far more than the accumulated wealth of the world. If you piled up all the world’s wealth on one side of a balance and placed a soul on the other side, one single soul would outweigh the wealth of the entire world. The greatest gift you can give God is your soul. Jesus said, “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”(Matthew 16:26). The second greatest gift you can give God is someone else’s soul.
You will be judged based on giving your own soul to God, You will be rewarded in heaven based on how many other people you bring to Jesus. Giving your life to Jesus determines where you spend eternity. Leading others to Jesus determines how you will spend eternity.
Giving money or time to God has only two purposes. First, it is a way to show God your soul truly belongs to Him. Second, it is a way to help win more souls for the Kingdom of God. John Wesley said, “You have one business on earth, to save souls; therefore, spend and be spent in this work.” You cannot take money or possessions with you to heaven. Souls are the only treasure you can take to heaven when you die.
The greatest use for earthly treasure is buying heavenly treasure. The only way to trade earthly treasure for heavenly treasure is by winning souls. Jim Elliot wrote, “That man is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
Feeding the poor, taking care of the sick, building Bible schools, and starting churches is only worthwhile if it helps people go to heaven. A beautiful church building is useless if it is empty. God does not dwell in church buildings; He lives in the hearts of the souls who occupy church buildings.
When you arrive in heaven, you will be judged based on the condition of your own soul, but you will be rewarded based on how many souls you bring to heaven with you. T.L. Osborn said, “Jesus’ passion drove Him to the CROSS, now our passion drives us to the LOST!” -
The only economic indicator of success or failure in heaven will be the souls you bring with you. The jewels in your crown will be rewards for the number of souls you helped save. Paul the Apostle wrote, “Woe to me if I preach not the Gospel.” John Knox told God, “GIVE ME SOULS OR I DIE!”
All God really wants from you is your soul. He does not need your money; He desires your love. Giving money to God is just a way of letting Him know that He has all of your soul.
C.S. Lewis wrote, “The glory of God, and, as our only means to glorifying Him, the salvation of human souls, is the real business of life.” Winning souls is the greatest occupation available on earth. Lottie Moon said, “Surely there can be no deeper joy than that of saving souls.” Winning souls is the only mission worth investing your life (and wealth) in. How many souls can you save with your talent and resources?The only gift worth giving to God is a soul. Giving money toward soul winning is the greatest investment you can make. Soul winning is the only investment where a finite amount produces an infinite return. Earthly wealth will never last; heavenly wealth will never fade.
Soul winning is the only cause that counts, the only pursuit God cares about, the only reason Jesus died, the only idea that excites heaven, the only activity that is really important. We must give priority to what God gives priority to.
1. Every soul will live an infinite amount of time.“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (Matthew 25:46).
2. Every soul will experience an infinite amount of either pain or pleasure. “The soul who sins is the one who will die” (Ezekiel 18:20).
3. Every soul is infinitely precious to God. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
4. God was willing to pay an infinite price for every soul. “They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: For the redemption of their soul is precious...” (Psalm 49:6-8 KJV).
5. The blood of Jesus is able to save an infinite number of souls. “The blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
6. Each soul is worth an infinite amount of trouble on our part. “He who wins souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30).
7. A monetary gift towards soul winning instantly becomes infinitely valuable. “Whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6).
