1. Many today teach that if one is ever saved, he can never sin so as to be lost.
2. But the Bible contains warning after warning against apostasy!
3. Why warn people of sin that cannot be committed?
4. The writer to the Hebrews warned, “Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God: but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called To-day; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb. 3:12-13).
5. To the Galatian brethren Paul said, “Ye were running well; who hindered you that ye should not obey the truth” (Gal. 5:7)?
6. We can learn much from the life of Jehoshaphat.

I. We see him highly honored.
“And Jehovah was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto the Baalim” (2 Chron. 17:3).
1. If one chooses to walk with God, his success is guaranteed.
2. In the beginning, Jehoshaphat did not let the sins of others become a stumbling-block to him.
3. He knew that God is the perfect example, and he chose to follow God.

II. We see him greatly encouraged.
“And his heart was lifted up in the ways of Jehovah: and furthermore he took away the high places and the Asherim out of Judah” (2 Chron. 17:6).
1. Jehoshaphat guarded against his heart becoming consumed with pride at the beginning of his reign.
2. He evidently realized that “pride goeth before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18).
4. God gives no encouragement to one who chooses to live a manner of life that is in opposition to His will.
5. Only when we choose God's Holy Word to be a “lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path” (Psa. 119:105) can we expect His blessings.

III. We see him unequally yoked.
“Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and he joined affinity with Ahab” (2 Chron. 18:1).
1. It was the Savior who said, “It is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:23).
2. The Bible also reminds us to “Be not deceived: Evil companionships corrupt good morals” (1 Cor. 15:33).
3. Ahab was a well-known enemy of God.
4. Why would a righteous person desire to associate with one of Ahab's reputation?
5. We read that
“Ahab did more to provoke Jehovah, the God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him” (1 Kings 16:33).
6. When one chooses to form a friendship with a worldly person he will soon be in fellowship with his worldly ways!
7. Nehemiah's answer should be our answer:
“I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you” (Neh. 6:3)
8. Why should a faithful child of God willingly depart from the highway of holiness to travel the path of ungodliness?
9. Christians must not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.
10. Light does not mix with darkness.
11. Darkness may need the light, but light can have no fellowship 6with darkness (2 Cor. 6:14-18).

IV. We see Jehoshaphat completely surrendered. (2 Chron. 18:3).
1. When will we learn that compromise is a killer?
2. The moment Jehoshaphat promised to help Ahab he was worthless to the cause of God!
3. One does not fraternize with the enemy and come out unscathed.
4. The Lord warns, “He that is not with me is against meþ” (Matt. 12:30).
5. We must always be the bondservant of Christ while refusing to be a sinful slave of men.
Invitation:

By Gary D. Murphy

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