You are always hearing people say, "What have you got to lose?" It's interesting that people ask that, because it seems there is always a price tag associated with anything, even if you can't see it!
As a Christian, we do have a good amount to lose- in this world and the next! The best person to see this from is Lot in the Old Testament.
Genesis 19:15-24- And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord: Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die: Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live. And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
The story of Lot is quite a sad one. His Uncle Abram allows him to choose where he wants to live. And he did not choose wisely. He went to live near the wicked town of Sodom because he saw that it was a good place for cattle.
Many times as Christians we make our choices based on how things look, not how God sees them. We choose to marry someone who looks Christian. The job that looks like it would be good. The career path that seems to be promising. But, we often fail to see what God's will is because we simply don't ask him. And then we want to complain when things start to fall apart.
Lot didn't ask God's direction, he chose to go towards the wicked city and ended up living in it. And then came God's judgement. Lot's life was saved as the angel's forced him, his wife, and the two daughters he had left living at home out of Sodom before the judgement fell. What did he have to lose? Worldly speaking, he lost everything!
As Christians, when we make our choices based on what we want, there is much we can lose in this life:
We can lose our health. Have you ever seen a man who does nothing but work at that promising job? What about the person who married that "good Christian"? How about the one struggling at college because they just had to go down that specific career path? Some times God sends troubles our way, yes, but some times we bring them down on our selves! And it can destroy our health.
Proverbs 5:11- And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
We can lose our testimony. Many a Sunday is lost while at the job place. Many a Christian life is destroyed by trying to please the one they married. And many Christians fall to temptations while working to get their degree or living around the wickedness in the career of their choosing. They destroy our testimony!
1 Corinthians 5:11, 13- But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
We can lose our life. Once you go against God's will for so long He may decide to take you out. God doesn't like when our lives mock Him. And He may destroy our flesh!
1 Corinthians 3:16-17- Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
But, what about the here-after? "It's my life let me live it" doesn't end when we die. We stand before God and give an account. What have we got to lose?
First, we can lose the crowns we earned to wear. Those little bits of rewards that we gain from living for Christ, denying the flesh, and serving His will. God takes everything we do for Him into consideration. All of our efforts translate into gold, silver, and precious stones, and crowns which we can lay at Christ's feet. We can lose our crowns!
Revelation 3:11- Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
We can lose our reign. Those who suffer with the Lord here on earth, and those who deny their wants and desires to accomplish the will of God will be given a reign during the millenium. Those who serve themselves will be denied a reign.
2 Timothy 2:11-12- It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
We can lose our glory. God doesn't make everything the same. Each person is different and unique, possessing talents and gifts that God has given them to accomplish His will in their lives. Why do you think He would erase our uniqueness in heaven? Paul says that he bears in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus. When we are living in eternity our bodies will be glorified, but the amount of glory will be directly related to how we served Christ on earth.
1 Corinthians 15:38-43- But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
So, Christian, what do you have to lose? Quite a bit!
