Ezekiel 18:24 But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die.
When reading Ezekiel in my former thoughts, I would conveniently skip over chapter 18, and 33.
For this post, let’s not skip the message Ezekiel delivered to the nation of Israel in chapter 18. It is a difficult passage, and will sting as it did I when I eventually allowed it to get through to my contractual heart!
I say contractual heart, for as I have mentioned of my previous thoughts on this topic of eternal security, I considered my initial faith to be the signing of a contract with the Lord that was unassailable, that the contract could not be deemed null and void, that all decisions and heart thoughts I entered into and acted upon had no bearing on my relationship with the Living God.
I had a contract!
Since those days of old, I have come to a considered opinion, an opinion some near and dear friends consider a wrong position, but that as I read the Word, seems to be the consistent witness of the Word.
One of the many passages that cracked open the possibility of my error in thinking was the passage we are looking at today.
Ezekiel is in the middle of a generation of Israeli’s that are under the judgment of God, with deportation and captivity from the land being experienced by the nation. Of course, as we know of human nature, we should expect complaints and blame-shifting by those who are in trials. This generation does not disapoint.
Those with Ezekiel in Babylon are speaking a proverb about sour grapes, and that their circumstances aren’t fair, that their fathers sinned and they are being punished for their father’s sin.
Ezekiel provides the nation a lesson on personal responsibility.
Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die.
He goes through a recounting of a man and his son’s life choices.
Ezekiel 18:5-9 Speaks of a faithful man and that he shall live.
Ezekiel 18:9 walks in my statutes, and keeps my rules by acting faithfully–he is righteous; he shall surely live, declares the Lord GOD.
This faithful man’s son decides to sin. Ezekiel 18:10 – 13
Ezekiel 18:13 ….shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon himself.
This violent man fathers a son, and walks the faithful life.
Ezekiel 18:17 withholds his hand from iniquity, takes no interest or profit, obeys my rules, and walks in my statutes; he shall not die for his father’s iniquity; he shall surely live.
So Ezekiel lays it out before the people of Israel, that each generation has a choice to walk properly, and will be judged on their own lives. Life and death is dependent on their life time decisions.
- Faithful = life
- Sinful = death
The summary of the story – the soul who sins shall die
Ezekiel 18:20 The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.
Verse 24 fleshes this truth out, for Ezekiel speaks of the righteous man who turns away from righteousness, in his treachery he shall die. His past righteousness shall not be remembered!
Ezekiel 18:24 But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die.
In explaining this truth to the people of God, Ezekiel asks a rhetorical question.
If a righteous person turns away, shall he live?
Of course the people of God argued against this teaching, even saying that the Lord is not just in His ways.
Incredible how history repeats itself, and that those who struggle with this general teaching will claim that God is unjust.
No matter your opinion on this topic, Ezekiel’s words are as pertinent to us as to the men and women during the captivity. The people who know God are to have a new spirit and a new heart. Our ways are to reflect the faith we espouse – continuously.
Ezekiel 18:30-32 “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live.”
My friend, seek God and do as He directs. Be faithful unto God in all that you know, and His Spirit will be with you.
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