What is this passage saying about Esau? Was Esau a lost or saved?
Hebrews 12:16 - 17
ESV - 16 That no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.
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The bible does not say if Esau was saved or not. It says he lost his blessing. That does not mean he was not saved. Many lose Gods blessing because of sin in the lives of a believer, but that has nothing to do with salvation. However, God did deal differently with people in the old testament before Jesus came. When God said He loved Jacob but hated Esau, it was the contrast. Not that God hated Esau. A person during the church age may be saved but living in sin and lose their reward in heaven, but not their salvation as that is not taught In scripture anywhere. All believers have eternal life, but not all believers have rewards in heaven. Romans 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believe on Him who justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. There are those who are saved but produce no fruit. The parable of the sower: Two believed and were saved but never produced any fruit. Their rewards will be burned up, but they shall be saved so as by fire. They are saved by faith alone. But do not have God's blessing. After we are saved we still reap what we sow. But for the blessing of God, and rewards in heaven. Not for salvation which is a free gift by faith alone. We are saved by faith alone, but work for rewards in heaven. Not for salvation. Our rewards as saved sinners depend on our works after we are saved. Good works can not save sinners, and bad works can not cause us to lose our salvation. But our blessing from God depend on how we live and what we do as already saved sinners. If we go off an live in sin, God chastens us, and if we do right, he blesses us. He does not chasten unsaved people. That is why many times unsaved people have a greater blessing than saved people on earth. They never receive the chastening hand of the Lord because they are not one of His. Second Timothy 2:19.
In my opinion, there is scriptural evidence that Esau was not saved. If he had been, God would not have been so repetitive and emphatic throughout the Old Testament about the intensity and enduring nature of His hatred for Esau's descendants (the Edomites). (God also expressed His anger toward the tribes of Israel, and punished them for their sins, but there was a later restoration, as when the tribes of Judah and Benjamin returned to Canaan from their exile in Babylon after seventy years. However, there is no such indication of mercy (at any time) toward the descendants of Esau.) In the very last book of the Old Testament (Malachi 1:3-5), God says, "I have laid waste his (Edom's) hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert. If Edom says, 'We are shattered, but we will rebuild the ruins,' the LORD of hosts says, 'They may build, but I will tear down, till they are called the wicked country, the people with whom the LORD is angry forever.' Your own eyes shall see this and you shall say, 'Great is the LORD, beyond the border of Israel!'"
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