Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”

I have watched a few movies with interesting keys or contraptions involved which open doors to access new areas or realms. The James Bond movie Live and Let Live has an armoire that, when moved, exits into a parking garage. Another Bond movie, Skyfall, has a secret door near a fireplace that leads to a tunnel which exits a few hundred feet outside. In the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Narnia Chronicles), the secret world of Narnia is accessed by those who enter into the wardrobe and believe. And in The Lord of the Rings, the elvish word “friend”, when spoken, is the key to open up the Doors of Dorian, leading into the dwarf kingdom of Moria under a mountain.

I think this passage is also referencing a key of sorts. It references a requirement for entrance into the kingdom of heaven. This is the implication of this question: “Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” What will God accept when trying to get into heaven except for a righteous soul?

When we get to heaven, we must present God with a soul that is righteous, pure, and without sin in order to gain access to our inheritance. And as sinners this is not possible on our own. The good news is we have a Savior and Lord who offers us a free gift. He has paid the price for our sins and will go before us to God the Father, if we follow him. If we follow him, he also places his Spirit in our hearts to purify us from all sin.

Understanding this, the rest of the passage falls into line. We must seek Jesus the Savior and learn to live as he did. We must submit to his authority and his way of life. And he will present our souls, purified by his blood spilt on the cross, as the needed entry fee or key to heaven.

No amount of good works, wealth, or connections can get us into God’s kingdom. “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father EXCEPT THROUGH ME.’” (‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭6‬, emphasis mine). So we must lose the lives we planned for ourselves, out of our own selfish ambition. And we must live for Jesus Christ, even if he calls us to lose our physical lives on this earth. In doing this, we gain eternal life in heaven with God. I’d say that is an incredibly good trade!

Lord, it is pointless to seek after the fleeting things of this world. A life lived following your ways, your truth, and your life is the one I want. It gives me the soul purified by your Spirit, as a key. And that key will be acceptable to you and open the doors of heaven to me.