What is the connection between being a fornicator and being a profane person?
Scripture presents the fornicator and the profane person as going hand in hand. When someone is immoral, he is profane for all practical purposes. Hebrews 12:16 uses Esau as the example, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright, showing disregard for what was sacred.
Les explains that Hebrews 12:16 joins the fornicator and the profane person together, saying the two go hand-in-hand. When a person is immoral, he is profane for all practical purposes. The context illustrates this with Esau, the twin brother of Jacob, who sold his birthright for one morsel of food. The broader discussion notes that gross sexual wickedness and paganism have always been present, going back even to Ishmael and Esau, and describes this as a crucial shortcoming of the human race that was exploding in the 90s.
Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.