“Lest I Mar Mine Own Inheritance” - 1/26/25
The title of this study was stated as the reason why the “nearer kinsman” would not marry Ruth (Ruth 4:6, KJV). Instead of the word “mar,” other versions use terms such as “ruin,” “endanger,” and “impair.” We are not privy to all that was going on in his life, but whatever it was, marrying Ruth and raising a child who would take the dead husband’s property (Deut. 25:5-10) was something he was not ready to do. Just as in other times in the book of Ruth (and the Bible, Deut. 29:29), there are things that we must not conjecture but accept the statement of Scripture “as is.”
Regardless of the “nearer kinsman’s” reasoning, his statement serves as a “springboard” to a study where we can make applications to ourselves. Beyond the inheritance spoken of in Ruth 4, Christians are given an “inheritance” by God. This is not a material possession but a spiritual inheritance, which includes the promise of eternal life and the blessings of God’s kingdom (I Pet. 1:4, 3:9; Col. 1:12, 3:24; Acts 20:32; Rev. 21:7; Matt. 25:34). We must be careful not to do anything to “mar” (ruin, endanger, impair) this precious gift!
Some in the religious world, particularly those who adhere to the doctrine of “eternal security” or “once saved, always saved,” find the above statement controversial. They insist that we cannot lose our salvation and, by extension, the inheritance God has promised His children. Therefore, suggesting someone can “ruin,” “endanger,” or “mar” that inheritance sounds like false teaching to them.
However, when we read the Scripture, we see that losing our inheritance or salvation is a distinct possibility. We see this warning throughout the Old and New Testaments! In the New Testament, over 200 verses declare that salvation is conditional! For example, read the Lord’s words in John 8:31-32 and 15:5-6. Paul wrote that he had to watch for his own soul in I Corinthians 9:27. He warned folks that when they saw someone “overtaken in a fault,” they need to try to restore them but watch out for their own souls in the process (Gal. 6:1). In fact, the Holy Spirit “expressly says” that there will be some who will “depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils” (I Tim. 4:1). Did Paul write these words to Timothy where Timothy was to understand that “giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils” did not affect the soul? That if he “gave heed” to those, he was going to Heaven, anyway? I would insult your intelligence if I thought you did not know the answer to that question. The potential loss of salvation should invoke a sense of urgency and concern in us all.
The truth is that there was genuine concern about “marring” or “endangering” the spiritual inheritance of God’s people if they turned away from the Lord, and that concern is just as genuine today! Let us heed the Lord’s warnings, found throughout the Bible, and make sure we do not fall into Satan’s traps. These traps include temptations to sin, distractions from our faith, and false teachings that lead us away from God (Jas. 1:13-15; I Jn. 2:15-17)! Satan is looking for folks to devour (I Pet. 5:8), and since he already has the lost people in his grasp, may I suggest he is “hunting” for the saved?
As stated above, I cannot ascertain the “nearer kinsman’s” reasoning concerning his earthly inheritance. However, I know what God is saying when He speaks of a spiritual inheritance, and I need to keep that in mind daily! Being a Christian is not for the lazy or the faint of heart! We must be vigilant in our faith, constantly aware of how we live and never forget that we can “mar” our inheritance if we are not diligent now and growing in the faith daily (II Pet. 1:5-12).
- Jarrod M. Jacobs