Those Whose Portion is in This Life

" . . . men of the world, whose portion is in this life." - Psalm 17:14

The Christian is not of this world and his portion is not in this life. The follower of Jesus Christ has been rescued from the darkness of this unredeemed world and no longer has his or her portion primarily in this earthly existence at all.

This was not always the case. All of us at one time were people who could only be described as "men [a person] of the world", that is, a life completely controlled by and characterized by the things of this passing world. All the worldling wants is this world. All the believer wants [or should want] is not of this world.

How can we know if someone has their portion in this life? It is evident in their priorities, their life emphasis, their focus, desires, affections, and their investment of time, energy, and finances. By their fruit you shall know them.

This life- this earthly, brief, passing life. How very sad to be one whose portion is only in this life. The Christian has another portion, a larger, more abiding portion, an eternal portion, that shall not pass away. The Christian is not of this world. We are pilgrims, sojourners, travelers, on our way out of this earth, journeying toward a heavenly portion that will be unchanging and glorious. Where is your portion? Is is earthly or heavenly?

The person I truly pity is not the homeless person or the prison inmate. They often see their need and become a candidate for grace. Instead, the ones to be more pitied is the nice family who are living the normal American life style all around us. They are members of First Church in town and are respected neighbors and citizens; they go to church when their schedule allows, in between soccer and baseball seasons, trips to the lake house, or weekend get-aways to Vegas or Aspen. They have everything they need and are pursuing the rest of the stuff they want. Indeed, they have their portion in this life; they are people of the world. They are utterly and totally clueless that they are lost, without God and without hope. If you were to even hint that they had any spiritual need, they would be highly offended. If anyone talked to them about their need for the Saviour, they would get very angry. They see no need in their lives, have no place for Christ in reality, and have all their portion in this earthly life.

The good old American family. The hard-working, busy, very active American family. This describes those men of the world, whose portion is in this life.

What is the Christian's portion? It is not houses, land, possessions, position, popularity, bank account, attainments, or educational achievements. The believers' portion is Christ, heaven, an eternal kingdom, the Word of God, the church, heavenly investments, and an eternal inheritance that will never pass away.

If non-believers are described as 'men of the world, whose portion is in this life', then the believer can be described as 'men of another world, whose portion is in the future'.

What the lost man wants is all seen, temporal, here and now, and will all pass away. But what the Christian wants is all unseen, eternal, and never to be lost

'Whose portion is in this life'-- may those words never describe us.

- Mack Tomlinson