Romans 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

This is the same verse I modified yesterday in “Well Done”. Allow me to modify it once again to fit this narrative.

Romans 2:7 (modified) To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek an inheritance.

Funny how people act once they know their portion of a will, their inheritance. Their motivation seems to be one of staying in the good graces of their benefactor. Perhaps if they do really well, they might pick up some extra coin from those who failed and fell out of grace.

Matthew 3:26-28 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

Let me ask you a frank and earnest question about that as a motivation; don’t you have to be in the will first before you can even think that way? Secondly, if that is your motivation, will your efforts be in good faith? One must acknowledge a part in the will and then also that your part is determined by He who called you and not you yourself.

2 Timothy 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

That being true, then our part in the inheritance is predetermined and will not change. Therefore let go of any motivation of the heart that seeks more than promised.

Romans 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

Why do you seek to do well? Is it for glory? Is it for honor? Is it for immortality? Is it for eternal life? Set that aside for just a moment and try not to answer just yet.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

It is difficult to know the motivations of the heart. I know, I have lied so often about my motivations in the past that I don’t even trust myself. I admit it is difficult to seek to do good if you are not motivated. Human nature says why do a thing if nothing good will come of it. Ah, but there’s the rub.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

If you trust God and believe He is true, then His promise is this, good will come even if you do not see it. We are performance based as humans. Effort and dedication produce results. In His Kingdom however, our efforts are overshadowed by His.

Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Knowing this, how could I rewrite Romans 2:7 to better reflect that ultimate truth.

Romans 2:7 modified To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek God:

Ephesians 1:11-12 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

Inheritance?