Forfeited

Examine ourselves, whether we are still in the faith unless we are disqualified because of the temptation.

Jas 1:14-15 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Sin out of ignorance may be forgiven as Paul knowing Jews' religion as the truth persecuted the Church of God but later preached the faith which once he destroyed.

Heb 10:26-27 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful apprehension of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Once we receive therefore the salvation offered and we become abusive, careless and neglect His will then it's forfeited.

1 Chro 28:9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou shalt seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou shalt forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

Set our hope fully upon the grace stored for us at the coming of Jesus Christ.

1 Pet 1:14-16 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he who hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of deportment. Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

So the next time we read below the first requirement of salvation which is believing in Him, think of the works expected of a believer.

Jn 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Let us look to ourselves then, that we lose not those things which we have acquired that we may receive the full reward so as not to be marked "forfeited".

Ignorance

Job is a man who is blameless and upright that fears God and shuns evil. The reason why he was tempted by the devil until his wife ask him to denounce his faith.

Job 2:10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Job erroneously think that the adversity he accepted comes from God. Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else.

James 1:14-15 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

God never gives his Children anything bad.

Luke 11:11-13 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

Job mistakenly accused God of giving him the adversity but still committed no sin in the eyes of God for the sin is spoken out of ignorance.

It's the opposite of the law of man where ignorance of the law excuses no one.

Infidelity Training

There are two reasons mentioned in the Bible where divorce is authorized.

One reason is the death of either of the husband or a wife.

1 Corinthians 7:39 A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.

The second reason is marital unfaithfulness.

Matthew 19:9 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”

Not all may accept this though many are divorced and many are still in a relationship where either the other partner or both are committing infidelity.

Jesus taught us to forgive those who sins against us.

Matthew 4:12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.

He wants us to forgive those who sins against us not once or seven times but seventy times seven or 490 times.

Matthew 18:21-22 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

At the same time He warned us not to make ourselves at home among those who indulges in sexual sin or the sexually promiscuous.

1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.

Be that as it may, there must be true repentance from the offender, prior to forgiveness, that it won't happen again. The marital unfaithfulness must not be committed even once, but when committed the forgiveness must be given only once, otherwise, You are allowing him/her to take the infidelity training hoping that he will graduate soon, after repetitive offenses, to finally know the difference between right and wrong.

The question lies on how far can you tolerate your partner though one offense is permitted for a divorce in God's law.

Into Temptations

The Scripture has this story to tell.

Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. He was seduced by his master's wife.

Genesis 39:7 And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”

The master's wife is not pleased with Joseph for being righteous & trustworthy. She invented lies to get even with Joseph for rejecting her.

Genesis 39:20 Then Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison.

Joseph was hated for doing the right thing.

Matthew 10:22 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

Life is full of temptations. When one is given the chance to commit sin while nobody is looking and not fall into that temptation, he is a man who fear God.

Ecclesiastes 12:14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.

The Poor Rich

Leviticus 23:22 ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field when you reap, nor shall you gather any gleaning from your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger: I am the LORD your God.’”

Reading this verse, I can't help but to thank God and praise Him.

A poor family like us, have experienced going to the field after peanut harvesters are gone. True enough, inside the soil are ground nuts remnants. We call this process in Ilokano vernacular "Tudtod" (picking of whatever remaining on the ground).

In a fish pond for example, when harvesters are gone, we took possession of the pond and inside those muddy areas we still catch some fish, big and small, enough viand for a day or two.

Well, that is life living far from the City. Here, the poor are entirely dependent on jobs and helps from the government. Even the goods coming from generous heart, local or international, intended for those affected by calamities are not exempted from some greedy people the victims thought to rescue.

Ezekiel 22:29 The people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, and mistreated the poor and needy; and they wrongfully oppress the stranger.

Some Leaders are corrupt. Yes, they are greedy dogs which never have enough. They all look to their own way, every one for his own gain, from his own territory. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world?

Proverbs 22:16 He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty.

Satan The Movie

Remember the scene where Satan tempted Jesus who was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness?

Matthew 4:8-9 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”

I already read this verse before but the first thing that came to my mind is the showing of only the places that can be seen by an eye far above the high mountain where the devil took Jesus.

For you to show all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, you have to use a medium with the help of a satellite. It is some kind of an illusion to make it appear in front of a viewer. It is like showing a movie.

The tempting scene showed the unlimited power of Satan but it manifested also his very limited power.

Matthew 4:3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

Clearly, Satan can not make the stones to become bread. It is likely more convincing for him to tempt Jesus who fasted 40 days and 40 nights if he presented a bread instead of stones.

Matthew 4:5-6 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘ He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘ In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’

Satan as a natural brute beasts, a murderer made to be taken and destroyed, can not just push and kick our Lord Jesus Christ down below the pinnacle of the temple. This is a clear manifestation of his very limited power but has the power to deceive the whole world.

Revelation 12:9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.