“What profit is there if you gain the whole world — and lose eternal life? What can be compared with the value of eternal life?”  (Matthew 16:26 TLB).

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:19, “If our hope in Christ is good for this life only and no more, then we [Christians] deserve more pity than anyone else in all the world” (GNT).

Why does Paul say this? For one thing, it isn’t easy to live for Christ in a world that doesn’t like Christ.

So here’s one of the most important questions you can ever answer. Is Christianity worth it?

Everything in life has a price tag. Anytime you say yes to something, you’re saying no to something else. Is the prize worth the price in following Christ?

In Matthew 16:26 Jesus says, “What profit is there if you gain the whole world — and lose eternal life? What can be compared with the value of eternal life?” (TLB).

Some people are trading their soul for worldly things — such as money, fame, and materialism. Your soul is worth so much more.

Paul realized this. When Paul shares his testimony in Philippians 3:7-8, he says, “I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ” (NLT).

Paul realized that nothing — no status, no amount of money, no pleasure — is worth more than Jesus.

We need a new definition of success. Real, meaningful success isn’t based on what we have, our appearance, or in “feeling good.” Real success comes from living our lives by God’s values — and the ultimate reward of enjoying eternity in Heaven.

By Rick Warren