Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
The Kingdom of God is like chess, the King cannot die.
For you who are not familiar with chess, a King either resigns because the game is hopeless or is forced to resign. The King is never captured or killed. This classic game of warfare is unique in that the number of pieces captured (killed) has no bearing on the outcome. It is possible to lose all your knights, rooks, bishops and even the Queen and still win the game.
So often we focus on scriptures like John 10:10a The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: where the focus is on the loss rather than our King. John 10:10b I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
We tie the abundant life with those things we think about which can be stolen, killed and destroyed. But in fact in our King’s Kingdom, we lose it all and still win. We can still have that abundant life even after losing it all.
Mark 10:21b One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
Let me ask this pointed question; are you resigned to having it all?
If you are resigned to have “all of it” now, you have surrendered a winning position to the enemy.
Oh, yes and the other thing about chess which is so much like the Kingdom of God, the lowly pawn, which has no value, if it endures to the end, reaches the 8th rank, is resurrected.
Mark 13:13b he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.