AND WHY DID JESUS PRAISE THE FORMER?

Jesus spoke one of the most perplexing statements in Scripture: “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25). At first glance, this seems contradictory. How can losing one’s life be good while wasting it is tragic? The answer lies in understanding they represent fundamentally different eternal realities—with diametrically opposite outcomes.

 

LOSING YOUR LIFE: THE PATH OF INTENTIONAL SACRIFICE

When Jesus spoke of “losing your life,” He wasn’t advocating for careless destruction or a meaningless death. Instead, He was describing voluntary surrender for kingdom purposes—a deliberate choice to lay down our selfish ambitions for something infinitely greater.

Scripture consistently portrays this concept as purposeful sacrifice. Paul exemplified this when he wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). He didn’t waste his life; he invested it strategically in eternal purposes, enduring shipwrecks, beatings, and imprisonment for the gospel’s sake (2 Corinthians 11:23-28).

The characteristics of losing your life biblically include:

• Purpose-driven sacrifice: Romans 12:1 calls us to present our bodies as “a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.” This isn’t destruction—it’s consecration.
• Others-focused living: Philippians 2:3-4 instructs us to consider others’ interests above our own, mirroring Christ’s sacrificial love.
• Eternal investment: Jesus taught us to store treasures in heaven where moth and rust cannot destroy (Matthew 6:19-21). When we lose our lives for His sake, we’re making the ultimate eternal investment.

Consider Mary, who broke her alabaster jar of expensive perfume to anoint Jesus (Mark 14:3-9). The disciples called it wasteful, but Jesus declared her sacrifice would be remembered wherever the gospel was preached. She lost something valuable in earthly terms but gained eternal significance.

 

WASTING YOUR LIFE: THE TRAGEDY OF MISPLACED INVESTMENT

Wasting your life represents the opposite tragedy—living entirely for temporary, self-centred purposes that have no eternal value. The Preacher in Ecclesiastes captured this futility: “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind” (Ecclesiastes 2:11).

Jesus illustrated this through the parable of the rich fool (Luke 12:16-21), a man who accumulated earthly wealth while remaining “poor toward God.” His life wasn’t lost for any greater purpose—it was simply squandered on temporal pleasures and securities that couldn’t follow him into eternity.

Characteristics of a wasted life include:

• Self-preservation obsession: Jesus warned, “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Matthew 16:26). When we hoard our lives for ourselves, we lose them entirely.
• Temporal focus only: Living as if this world is all there is, following the philosophy Paul condemned: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (1 Corinthians 15:32).
• Fruitless living: The parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) shows that burying our gifts and opportunities results in eternal loss, even if we preserve them temporarily.
• Pleasure-seeking without purpose: Paul warned of those who become “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:4), pursuing immediate gratification at the expense of eternal significance.

 

THE ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE: DIFFERENT DESTINATIONS, DIFFERENT LEGACIES

From God’s eternal viewpoint, the two approaches lead to vastly different outcomes. Jesus explained the principle through the grain of wheat: “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (John 12:24).

Different destinations: Those who lose their lives for Christ’s sake find eternal life, while those who waste their lives face eternal regret. The rich man in Jesus’s parable of Lazarus discovered too late his wasted opportunities couldn’t be recovered (Luke 16:19-31).

Different legacies: Lives lost for Christ bear eternal fruit that remains (John 15:16). Wasted lives leave temporary monuments that crumble, like wood, hay, and straw tested by fire (1 Corinthians 3:12-15).

Different rewards: The faithful servant who loses his life in service hears, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21). The one who wastes his life hears the devastating words, “I never knew you” (Matthew 7:23).

 

LIVING THE LOST LIFE DAILY

Scripture emphasises this choice isn’t a one-time decision but a daily surrender. Romans 6:13 calls us to offer ourselves to God as instruments of righteousness. Matthew 6:33 instructs us to seek God’s kingdom first, trusting Him with our needs.

Practically, this means intentional investment in people’s eternal destinies, kingdom work that outlasts earth, and character development that reflects Christ’s nature. It means asking not “How can I preserve my comfort?” but “How can I spend my life for maximum eternal impact?”

 

THE ULTIMATE QUESTION

The distinction is clear: losing your life means voluntary, purposeful sacrifice for eternal kingdom purposes, while wasting your life means living for temporary, self-centred goals with no eternal value. Jesus praised one because it leads to true life; He mourned the other because it leads to ultimate loss.

The question each of us must answer is simple yet profound: Are you losing your life or wasting it? Choose the path that leads to hearing “Well done.”

 

LOSING YOUR LIFE VS WASTING IT: RELATED FAQs

Isn’t “losing your life” the same as works-based salvation? Absolutely not. Reformed theology teaches losing your life for Christ is the fruit of salvation, not its root. In his Institutes, John Calvin argued self-denial flows naturally from justification by faith alone, as the Holy Spirit transforms the believer’s heart to desire God’s glory over self-preservation. Reformed scholars consistently teach we lose our lives because we’re saved, not in order to be saved.

• How do we view people who sacrifice their lives for non-Christian causes? Reformed scholars like RC Sproul distinguished between general sacrifice and gospel-centred sacrifice. While non-Christians may display admirable self-sacrifice for family or country, only those who lose their lives “for Christ’s sake and the gospel’s” (Mark 8:35) receive eternal reward. John Piper argues that without Christ as the motivation and object, even noble sacrifices remain ultimately self-serving and cannot merit God’s favour.
• What about Christians who live comfortable lives—are they necessarily wasting their lives? John MacArthur taught losing your life isn’t defined by external circumstances but by heart orientation. A wealthy Christian businessman who uses his resources for God’s kingdom while maintaining simplicity of heart may be “losing his life” more than a missionary living in poverty but motivated by personal glory. The key question is whether comfort is held loosely as a stewardship or clutched tightly as an idol.

Can someone waste part of their life and still be considered faithful overall? Yes, Reformed theology recognises the doctrine of perseverance while acknowledging seasons of spiritual decline. Martyn Lloyd-Jones taught that even mature believers can waste periods of their lives through disobedience or worldliness, yet God’s grace ensures they return to faithfulness. King David’s adultery and cover-up represent wasted time, but his repentance and restored service demonstrate that temporary failure need not define an entire life.

• How does the doctrine of predestination relate to losing versus wasting life? Reformed scholars see God’s sovereignty as the ultimate security for those losing their lives. Since the elect are predestined to glorify God, their sacrificial living flows from divine decree, not human willpower. This provides tremendous comfort—when we lose our lives for Christ, we participate in God’s eternal plan, guaranteeing our sacrifice has meaning and will bear fruit regardless of visible results.
• What did Puritan theologians teach about recognising a wasted life? Puritan divines like Richard Baxter emphasised fruit inspection over feeling assessment. They taught a wasted life becomes evident through persistent patterns: love of ease over service, pursuit of reputation over righteousness, and investment in temporal securities over eternal treasures. However, they warned against morbid introspection, encouraging believers to examine their lives through Scripture’s lens rather than emotional fluctuations.

How do we address the apparent contradiction between enjoying God’s gifts and losing your life? Theologians resolve this through the principle of “grateful enjoyment without ultimate attachment.” John Piper’s concept of “Christian Hedonism” teaches that we honour God by enjoying His gifts while holding them with open hands. Calvin wrote we can receive earthly blessings thankfully while being ready to surrender them instantly if God calls. The issue isn’t whether we enjoy life, but whether we’re willing to lose what we enjoy for Christ’s sake.

 

LOSING YOUR LIFE VS WASTING IT: OUR RELATED POSTS

•  ‘Sell Everything You Have…’: Are We To Do So Literally?
• ‘Use Worldly Wealth to Gain Friends’: Is Jesus Endorsing Bribery?
• The Matthew 16:25 Paradox: What It Means to Lose Your Life to Find It
• Discipleship: What Does it Mean to Deny Ourselves and Take Up Our Cross Daily?
• Call to Discipleship: Not Your Ordinary Job Description
• The Cost of Discipleship: Lessons from Luke 14
• Mark of an Authentic Disciple: A Growing Christlikenes