Net Worth

In light of what has recently taken place in our city concerning the HeathSouth scandal, Upper Room classroom members questioned the reasoning and motivation of certain individuals involved in the scandal. Greed creates power. Power creates greed. The financial world measures success by Net Worth. Greed and Power create Net Worth. What is Net Worth? The simple answer is the value of assets owned less the amount of liabilities owed.

How do you measure value? The more liquid the asset, the easier it is to place a value. Fixed assets are valued at cost or market value. It is a judgment of individuals that place certain values on assets. There are many analyst and appraisers that can judge value. These people spend lifetimes measuring other individuals' assets and liabilities to reach a score for these individuals in the financial game. These scores are published in Bloomberg's, Forbes, Fortune 500, Barron's, etc. The individuals who make "the list" fascinate people. They even have TV shows that exploit our fascination with "The Rich & Famous."

Can the "Rich & Famous" handle their financial success? Have you ever watched on TV those programs on channels, such as The Discovery Channel, where they go through the lives of famous stars or business tycoons? The pattern is that somehow through struggle, the person makes it big; but because of lifestyle and tragedy they lose a grip, lose their money, get on drugs, or have life changing experiences; only to come back through a cleaning up of their lives. It is amazing how many of these programs are similar.

It all starts with values. There are no financial analyst or appraisers who can measure our true values. God is the ultimate Judge. He will measure our true Net Worth based on our beliefs and values less our detriments and wickedness. The ultimate prize is life in Heaven. Just like the individuals on The Discovery Channel, we have our successes and failures; but we are redeemed by the Blood and His Grace. The difference between the material world and the spiritual world is that God forgives our past wrongs through His Grace where in the material world; you may suffer setbacks that can never be restored. The only score that matters is whether we believe in Jesus Christ. Our score is posted in the Book of Life.

We do have a responsibility to live a life of righteousness, increasing our values as we grow. However, God continues to save us from our downfalls by His Grace. Wicked and scandalous people will not be on this list or receive the ultimate prize unless they come to know Jesus, repent, and increase their values. I was once what is considered a wealthy person by the world's standards. But now I am the richest of all. I consider salvation a very liquid asset, easy to measure. It has the greatest value of all. I know I'm greedy when it comes to salvation. How about you?

You may be saying, "What terrible people you have been talking about!" But you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you do these very same things. And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. Do you think that God will judge and condemn others for doing them and not judge you when you do them, too? Don't you realize how kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Or don't you care? Can't you see how kind he has been in giving you time to turn from your sin? But no, you won't listen. So you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself because of your stubbornness in refusing to turn from your sin. For there is going to come a day of judgment when God, the just judge of all the world, will judge all people according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who persist in doing what is good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and practice evil deeds. There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on sinning - for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good - for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism. God will punish the Gentiles when they sin, even though they never had God's written law. And he will punish the Jews when they sin, for they do have the law. For it is not merely knowing the law that brings God's approval. Those who obey the law will be declared right in God's sight. Even when Gentiles, who do not have God's written law, instinctively follow what the law says, they show that in their hearts they know right from wrong. They demonstrate that God's law is written within them, for their own consciences either accuse them or tell them they are doing what is right. The day will surely come when God, by Jesus Christ, will judge everyone's secret life. This is my message. Romans 2:1-16, New Living Translation

And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so I, the Son of Man, must be lifted up on a pole, so that everyone who believes in me will have eternal life. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it. "There is no judgment awaiting those who trust him. But those who do not trust him have already been judged for not believing in the only Son of God. Their judgment is based on this fact: The light from heaven came into the world, but they loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. They hate the light because they want to sin in the darkness. They stay away from the light for fear their sins will be exposed and they will be punished. But those who do what is right come to the light gladly, so everyone can see that they are doing what God wants." John 3:14-21, New Living Translation

Brad Warren