Saints Risk Losing Inheritance
- Michael E.B. Maher
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
Galatians 5:19-21 “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, (20) idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, (21) envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
The second time that the Holy Spirit warns us about our eternal inheritance is in the above quoted passage from His letter to the churches in Galatia. In this passage the apostle Paul warns us that saints who practice these various sins will forfeit their inheritance in the kingdom of God. Again it is very important for us to note that the Holy Spirit uses the same terminology that He used in His warning to the church at Corinth. The Holy Spirit does that because He is emphasizing the truth that these individuals remain saved, but nevertheless they will have no inheritance in the kingdom of God. On this occasion Paul reminded the churches in Galatia that he had already forewarned them about this very same thing when he previously was with them. And so he warns them yet again that believers, who practice the sins listed, will have no inheritance in the kingdom of God. Clearly the apostle Paul understood this particular truth and wanted the churches to be fully aware of the eternal consequence of a lifestyle of practiced sin, i.e. the forfeiture of their eternal inheritance.
Ephesians 5:1-7 “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. (2) And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. (3) But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; (4) neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. (5) For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. (6) Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. (7) Therefore do not be partakers with them.”
The third time that the Holy Spirit warns us about our eternal inheritance is in the above quoted passage from His letter to the church in Ephesus. Again it is very important for us to note that the Holy Spirit uses almost the exact same terminology that He used in the letters to the churches at Corinth and Galatia, i.e. these believers have no inheritance in the kingdom of God. And so the Holy Spirit is going to great lengths to show us that believers that practice a lifestyle of sin remain saved, but nevertheless have no inheritance in the kingdom of God. In this letter Paul again lists the sins that, if practiced by the believer, will cause them to lose their inheritance in the kingdom of God. In this letter the Holy Spirit tells us that those in the world who practice these same sins will incur the wrath of God. And so He admonishes us to not let anyone try deceiving us that these sins will not have any consequence for the believer. Because God is not unjust to punish the world with His wrath for these sins, and then let His saints commit the same sins and not be held to any account, for the price paid by the saints will be the forfeiture of their eternal inheritance.
Colossians 3:4-25 “When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. (5) Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. (6) Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, (7) in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. (8) But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. (9) Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, ... (23) And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, (24) knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. (25) But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.”
The fourth time that the Holy Spirit warns the believers about their eternal inheritance is in the above quoted passage from the letter He wrote to the church in Colossi. Again in this letter the apostle Paul lists the sins that will cause the world to incur the wrath of God. He then admonishes the church to not partake of those self-same sins. The reason that Paul admonishes us to not practice the same sins is because those in the church who do wrong will be repaid for those sins, for there is no partiality with our Lord for He is a just God. And so, just as God does not tolerate those sins in the world and visits His wrath on those who commit them, He also does not tolerate those sins in His church and He will hold His saints to account for those same sins. So how will the saint be held to account on that day? The Holy Spirit tells us in this passage that the one who serves the Lord from their spirit can expect to receive the reward of their inheritance on that day. But the Holy Spirit then goes on to say that the ones, who choose to do wrong, will be repaid for what they have done. In other words they can fully expect to not receive the reward of their eternal inheritance. And so we can see from these four passages of scripture that the Holy Spirit’s warning is very clear to us, i.e. believers who choose to practice a lifestyle of sin will forfeit their eternal inheritance on that day.
Hebrews 12:14-17 “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: (15) looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; (16) lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birth right. (17) For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.”
The scripture reveals to us that on the day of the saints’ judgement that there will be tears and that God Himself will wipe away those tears (Revelation 7:17). The reason that some saints will have tears on that day is because they will finally realize that they have forgone their eternal inheritance because of their chosen sinful lifestyle that cheated them of their eternal rewards. The Holy Spirit gave us another warning about losing our inheritance when He wrote to the church of Jerusalem as quoted above. In this passage He reminds us about Esau who for one morsel of food sold his birth right. And so even though Esau remained a son, nevertheless he had lost his inheritance, and when he finally realized his folly it was too late and his inheritance could not be restored even though he sought it diligently with tears. In this passage the Holy Spirit warns us not to be like Esau and through sin, such as bitterness and fornication for example, give up our eternal inheritance.
Luke 16:9-12 “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. (10) He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. (11) Therefore, if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? (12) And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?”
Our Lord Jesus, when He walked the earth, gave us a glimpse of one who was saved but had lost their eternal inheritance. He did so through the parable of the unjust steward quoted above. At the end of the parable our Lord Jesus gives us some advice regarding our eternal inheritance. In that advice He mentions an individual that will not have his own home in the age to come but would be reliant on the grace of others to welcome him into their eternal homes. In the context of this parable the reason that this individual had lost his own eternal home was because he had been unjust in his lifestyle and had thus forfeited his eternal inheritance. In this same passage of scripture our Lord also tells us that the one who is not faithful in serving Him in this life will not receive their inheritance in the age to come, for Jesus said that if we have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give us what is our own? The other man’s things that He is referring to are those which are His, and that which is our own which He is referring to in this passage is our eternal inheritance.
Michael E.B. Maher
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