Are not all questions
of Divine origin rhetorical? Omniscience is provocative by
nature, not inquisitive. The answer to our LORD'S question
here in Mark's Gospel
is obviously zero, a man shall profit nothing ... were it even
possible to take his gain to the loss of Hell. This is a
sobering PROPHET and BOSS Statement!
Greed is a most
horrible god among men, and plainly condemned in this parable of
JESUS, as recorded by Luke: "And HE spake
a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man
brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself,
saying, what shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow
my fruits? And he said, this will I do: I will pull down
my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my
fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, soul, thou
hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat,
drink, and be merry. But GOD said unto him, thou fool,
this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall
those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward GOD."
Solomon capsulized this
very axiom a thousand years earlier:
"So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which
taketh away the life of the owners thereof."
Rat-Race is not
hyperbole in describing our world today. Everywhere, men
run to and fro clamoring for the elusive gain which one day
falls from the cold, dead hands of those who grasp it.
"In your patience possess ye your souls."
There is haste all about us, and our drive-thru culture has
gained us nothing but Gusto for gods of our own making. JESUS brings our:
'most toys,
wins' mentality through the CAT scan of eternity
however, and reveals
the truth that he who dies with the most toys, leaves the most
toys behind. Ever seen a hearse towing an armored car?
"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Does not our pursuits and possessions betray our passion?
"Love not the world,
neither the things that are in the world."
The truth is, no GOD
(god) will go un-gained ... but at your graveside, will yours live
to see another day?
"But what things were gain
to me, those I counted loss for CHRIST ... For to me to live is CHRIST, and to die is gain."