The Evangelical Universalist Forum

Hebrews 12:16-17...Is it ever too late to repent?

“This text has reference to Esau (verse 16) selling the right to his birthright; and afterward, altho he wept sore, he could not get it restored. This is one of the texts that have been used by the enemy to torment oversensitive Christians, and to lead them to believe that they have committed the unpardonable sin, and for them there is nothing left but an unending hell. Every pastor of experience has met a number of such cases. This text, or some other text, has become the ground of their despair. Melancholia, or even a permanent insanity, has often resulted…” tentmaker.org/books/is_hell_ … _sins.html

Heb.12:16 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.

If fornicators can find “no place of repentance”, then why do we read this re a fornicator:

1 Cor.5:4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Is there a contradiction?

defendinginerrancy.com/bible-sol … _12.17.php

What is it that Esau sought with tears?

thegospelcoalition.org/arti … -to-repent

Rather than having sought repentance for his sins, contrary to the common interpretation of Hebrews 12:16-17, Esau immediately made plans to murder his brother. But the story has a happy ending. Jacob goes into hiding, some 20 years later Esau & Jacob meet again, Esau does not murder Jacob, & the two are reconciled with each other (Genesis 32 & 33).

Yep. I think Esau sought repentance (change of mind) in his father. With tears he tried to get his father to change his mind and give him the blessing.