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[Throwaway]

I have a question, and its based on something silly from awhile ago.

When I was younger in class, about 8th grade, I remember asking someone for a piece of paper for a test, he said he'd give it me for my soul, I rolled my eyes and agree'd because I needed to take the test. We shook hands and went on, he was being a jokester, I guess. Of course my heart wasn't in this deal, I just said it so I could get my paper and move on. I knew of him until high school and he's a generally good guy, he just likes being witty and edgy.

Anyway, I pretty much forgot this memory, recently, this guy passed away long after I last spoke to him in high school. I was pretty sad because he's really the first person I knew of somewhat personally that passed away. Then when thinking about past memories I remembered this situation. I thought of it as silly, but then I thought, is this real?

Typing this out it sounds extremely silly, an 8th grader, trading his soul for a sheet of paper to take a test, you can't be serious? But I am. I have a relatively guilty conscience, and I'm generally anxious about some things, and for some reason this is sticking. I did some research and from what I have seen, there are no mentions or instances of you being able to sell you soul to another person in the Bible. Is this true? Can you actually transfer your soul to another person? Is there any instance of this in Christianity? I consider myself of Christianity and faith, but since high school I have not been practicing strictly nor attending church, so I don't know where to go with this silly feeling of grief on my conscious.

[jimwalton]

There's no mention in the Bible of "selling your soul". I think what the saying means is a pictorial way of saying what you are committing your life to, and whether it's in a godly direction or not. When you allegedly "sell your soul to Satan," it's a cultural way of saying you have turned your back on God and are oriented in the opposite direction.

Matthew 10.28, and 32-33 are probably the verses that are closest to the idea of "selling your soul," but it's still nowhere near it. "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ... Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven." The point is obviously that we need to pay attention to what we value in life, what we live for, and the reality of judgment before God. If we have the nature of Jesus in us, we have nothing to fear. If we don't, and pursue the ways of self and sin, judgment lies in store.

"Sell your soul" is just word pictures. The reality is that our souls matter, and we need to make sure our lives are oriented to the glory of God.