Value

Proverbs 10:20 “The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value.”

 

This last week, our Wednesday night Bible Study group met for a biblical study on “value”. What on earth do we hold dear and precious in life? What do we truly value in life? What do we consider sincerely worth our time and consideration? We seem to all have things (goals, aspirations, achievements and prized possession) which we live for. But, what about our spiritual values towards God, Christ, the Christianity and Heaven?

 

Whether we realize it or not, each of our everyday existences are lived out “Corum Deo”, before the face of our all-seeing, all-knowing, all-powerful and ever-present Creator God. In your system of values, where does your heavenly Father rank? The first of God’s Ten Commandment in His Moral Law found in Exodus 20:3 is “You shall have no other gods before me”,ʿal pānîm, literally meaning “before your face and my face.” Anything that we value more than God and place before Him is technically an idol (another god). Do we value God above all as God? Our heart, mind and soul is to always be upon the Lord, our worthy God with His holy and perfect Word, Will and Way in thought, cognizance and intellect. 

 

In Matthew 13:44 Jesus tells us a parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. “ Bible Commentator Matthew Henry states that  in this parable Jesus represents the kingdom of heaven as of great value in itself, and of great advantage to those who embrace it. Jesus Christ is the true Treasure; in Him there is an abundance of all that which is rich and useful: redemption, forgiveness of sins and salvation: all fulness of life: treasures of wisdom and knowledge, of righteousness, grace, and peace; these are laid up for us in Christ. The gospel is the field in which this treasure is hid. It is the greatest thing to discover the treasure hid in this field, and the unspeakable value of it. Those who have searched the scriptures, so as in them to find Christ and eternal life, have discovered such a treasure in this field as makes it infinitely more valuable. 

 

Immediately, Jesus tells a second parable in Matthew 13:45-46 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” Matthew Henry states that we are just material people living in a material world where all the children of men are busy, seeking fine pearls (the fine things of life): one would be rich, another would be honorable, another would be learned; but the most are imposed upon, and take up with counterfeits for pearls. Jesus Christ is the Pearl of great price, a Jewel of inestimable value, which will make those who have it rich, truly rich, rich toward God; in having Him, we have enough to make us happy here and forever. A true Christian is a spiritual merchant, that seeks and finds this pearl of great price; that does not take up with any thing short of an interest in Christ. Do we value Jesus Christ above all as Savior and Lord? Those who would have a “saving” interest in Christ, must be willing to part with all for him, leave all to follow Him. Whatever stands in opposition to Christ, or in competition with Him for our love and service, we must cheerfully quit it, though ever so dear to us. A person may buy gold, but not this pearl of great price; He is received by grace through faith.

 

Mark 8:36-37 “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” Being a child of God, a citizen of Heaven and a follower of Christ advancing the Kingdom Heaven is what we truly value for a fruitful life.

 

Seek the face of God.

In Christ, Brian