Tape Gems - Lesson 112
/By Oscar M. Baker
[A continuation of excerpts from Lesson #112 in T.F.T. Eph. Series radio tapes.]
“For this ye know, that no whore monger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the
When it comes to the judgment of a man’s life, and his works are tested as by fire, a man can suffer loss, not be lost! Therefore, he doesn’t receive a prize or a crown. In Eph. it talks about an inheritance. It tells us that we as members of the Church which is the Body of Christ are in line for an inheritance. Our place in the Body cannot be lost --- we’re chosen from before the overthrow of the world (Eph. 1:4). But the reward of the inheritance can be lost. That reward of the inheritance is also mentioned in Col. 3:24 as well as here in Eph. 5:5. And we can be cheated of our crown, we can miss the prize, but salvation can never be lost. We want to keep that in mind, and remember that our life is hid with Christ in God as we’re told in Col. 3:3, and that’s a great comfort! Our calling and election cannot be changed, but we can suffer loss without being lost. THIS IS A SOLEMN WARNING.
Think of the servant who hid his talent, and hadn’t made use of it (Mt. 25:25). He was slothful, he was lazy, he was irresponsible, and so he was called “a wicked and slothful servant.” Even that which he had was taken away from him, and he was cast into outer darkness where there was “weeping and gnashing ofteeth” (Mt. 25:30). Now a lot of people just take it for granted (without ever looking up the words and seeing just what it means) that this man lost his salvation. Well, he was a servant, and he did not lose his salvation, but he did lose his inheritance. And the actual fact of it is, that when the inheritance (of which this parable is an illustration) that is, the Kingdom, when it comes, this man will be banished out among the nations, and not have a part in the inheritance in the
There are parallels between the Kingdom and the Church in matters like this, and it is well that we read these things, for they are for us PROFITABLE! And we should beware lest we should ever be called, “wicked and slothful”.
