Honey From The Rock

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Honey From The Rock
Psalm 81:16

"Sweet Stuff From God's Word"

A daily Bible study with Victor Knowles
Copyright 2007

FORFEITING YOUR INHERITANCE

This entry was posted on 06-23-2008 and is filed under uncategorized.

Who in their right mind would forfeit their inheritance? Yet many professed Christians do just that. Our text for today says, "For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person - such a man is an idolater - has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God" (Eph. 5:5 NIV).

"Forfeit" means "something that one loses or has to give up because of some crime, fault, or neglect of duty." The Christian has a wonderful inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Why would anyone want to mess around and lose that inheritance because of unChristian desires or behavior? Notice that right along with sexual immorality Paul mentions greed - idolatry, for all practical purposes. The world will tell you "greed is good." God says otherwise.

Look at how the Amplified Version translates this verse. "For be sure of this, that no person practicing sexual vice or impurity in thought or in life, or one who is covetous - that is, who has lustful desire for the property of others and is greedy for gain - [for] that [in effect] is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." Esau wept bitterly when he sold his birthright for a mess of pottage. Don't be found gnashing your teeth because you messed around and forfeited your eternal inheritance just to satisfy your sensual senses. Recently I learned of an 80-year-old minister who is divorcing his wife so he can marry a younger woman he has been having an affair with for years. What a bad barter! Why would anyone choose hell over heaven?

Hymn: "Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin; each victory will help you some other to win; fight manfully onward, dark passions subdue, look ever to Jesus: He'll carry you through" (H. R. Palmer).