What Is Your Soul Worth?
11-18-2006
by Johann Snyder

Would like to buy someone's soul? A 28 year-old man from Tampa Bay, Florida is offering you this singular opportunity. At his website, www.winmysoul.com, he is offering people the chance to win a binding contract for ownership and control of his soul. It's an outrageous offer to be sure, and it'll be interesting to see if he has any takers, or if he'll actually go through with the sale. But the real question is; does this man - or any of us, for that matter - have the right to sell our soul?

Now if you're wondering what you would get out of the ownership of another person's soul, the website for this sale stipulates several of the conditions under which the soul owner would have control over this man's life. The owner of the soul would have a right to a percentage of any income made, the right to choose the first name of any children, to pick the date of and plan for a wedding, make at least one New Year's resolution for this man, and to receive a birthday card and present from this man each year. The really scary thing is this guy is totally serious. He will absolutely sign a contract that's legal and binding, giving someone else control of his soul. Why is he doing this? I don't think that question is nearly as important as to whether or not he really can do this? Do any of us have the right to sell our soul?

This first thing I thought when I came across this story was, "This guy can't sell his soul; it's already been bought." First Corinthians tells us that "You are not your own; you were bought at a price." (1 Co 6:19-20 NIV) This guy's soul has already been bought, as have yours and mine. The fact is, when Jesus died on the cross and rose from the grave, he paid the price for all of our souls. This isn't just true for those have already become Christians; it's true for everyone, including this guy from Florida. Just because someone doesn't acknowledge that their soul has been bought doesn't make it any less true. This guy from Florida may sell his soul, but whether or not he lives up to his end of the bargain is really up to him. Sure he'll sign a contract and all, but he'll still have the option of whether or not honor it, and I find it particularly interesting that's he's included a clause stipulating that if he changes his mind, he can buy back his soul for a million dollars.

This brings up the question of what is your soul worth. This guy from Florida feels that a million bucks is a fair price to buy his soul back, but the truth is none of us can afford the price for our own soul; that's why Christ had to give his life. Our souls are so precious, so valuable, that God was willing to give absolutely everything, to pay every price, to purchase our souls. It's a sacrifice that's beyond comprehension, and it shows a depth of love that we will never truly fathom. Even more amazing, God leaves it entirely up to us as to whether or not we acknowledge His ownership of our souls. God won't force us to acknowledge that fact, but if and when we do, He won't treat us just as something that He bought and paid for, but He treats us as a cherished son or daughter; a beloved member of His family with all the rights and privileges that entails. I doubt this man from Florida will find such an offer from whoever purchases his soul online. So what is your soul worth? It's worth everything to God.

As Christmas approaches, I can't help but think that it's horribly tragic that this man from Florida has decided to sell his soul. Whether he knows it or not, it's not his to sell; he's selling something that's already been bought. He's selling something that belongs to Someone else. He's selling something that was paid for over two thousand years ago with the gift of a small, helpless baby that was born in a stable; a gift for all mankind, a gift that paid the ultimate price to buy our souls and save us from destruction. Please, don't re-gift your soul like this man from Florida; you have been bought and paid for, not as some internet stunt, not as something to raise funds for charity, but because there is a God who loves you so very dearly. All He asks in return is that you accept that fact. It's the true reason Christmas is so very special, and why I find this guy's attempt to sell his soul to someone else so tragic; He'll never find anyone who will pay as much for it as God did.