Highlight:
“Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. (17) For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.” (Hebrews 12:16-17)
Explanation:
The fact that this is shown to be someone who is not a believer is found in verses 16-17. Look at the descriptive words:
- Fornicator- Someone who sins sexually. This is an all inclusive word for any kind of sexual sin.
- Profane person- The Greek word is Bebelos. It comes from the base of another word “belos” which means a threshold. The idea is “accessible (as by crossing a doorway); heathenish, wicked.” These are people who are accessible to every kind of thought or sin. They are not holy and set apart. They are available and common. They have no boundaries.
Some of the characteristics of this kind of person:
- They live in the flesh. This kind of person acts in the flesh rather in discipline, and in the Spirit.
- They live for the temporary. The example of Esau shows that he gave up his birthright, his spiritual and material blessing from his father, for just a bowl of dinner. He was thinking about his stomach rather than by faith.
- They live unrepentantly. These kinds of people refuse to see as God sees. They refuse repentance, turning from their mindset to God’s mindset about their behavior.
- They live inauthentically. Here it speaks of seeking repentance “carefully with tears”. He cared about the consequences, but it was no godly sorrow that lead to repentance. It was a sorrow that dealt with the inevitable consequences of living as a profane person. This kind of person may want you to think that they are genuinely repentant, but they are not.
Application:
The consequences of not genuinely pursuing peace and holiness in Christ is truly dangerous. It can lead to bitterness, heartache, and all of the consequences of what living in the flesh does to people. We must recognize true lack of repentance in our hearts, and pursue peace and holiness through Christ authentically.
Response:
- Have I genuinely accepted Christ by repentance and faith?
- Is there some bitterness in me for which I should repent?
- Am I walking in the flesh or in the Spirit?
