Have you read Ezekiel all the way through? Ok, how many times? Did you pay attention? If you did, you probably noticed the most awesome of all awesome passages! Ezekiel 18.
If you've read Ezekiel, you probably remember the gruosome parts: sacrificing of babies, graphic descriptions of Jerusalem as a prostitute to other nations, but one of my (current) favorite parts of Ezekiel talks about repentance and forgiveness. Wait! Isn't that a New Testament idea? Apparently not, because God is speaking through Ezekiel to lay out the idea. Let me lay it out for you: the chapter of 18 begins with a quote from Jeremiah 31:29,
"The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge"
Now, does that make sense? Only if you know the context. Here, they are talking about sin's effects being passed down a generation. But you know what God says?
"Surely you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son (and daughter)--both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die."
God then gives a great poetic example of this, talking about if a righteous man lives a righteous life, he will live.(v 5-9) Then He talks about this man having a violent son. (v10-13). God follows with:
"Will such a man live? He will not! Because he as done all these detestable things, he will surely be put to death and his blood will be on his own head." (v. 13)
Does this look familiar? Sound like a Romans passage "for the wages of sin is death"?
God thus proves that he is separating the sin to the actions of the specific person. He continues with another example, talking of the son of the violent son living a righteous life, and not being held accountable for the sins of his father. (v. 15-17)
Now here's the part where God starts talking about repentance, in verses 21-22:
"But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, hi will surely live; he will not die. None of the offenses he has committed will be remembered against him. Because of the righteous things he has done, he will live."
Alright! Check that out! Freedom from sin equals life!
Now here's the part that some people who call themselves Christians tend to ignore, verse 24:
"But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness he is guilty of and because of the sins he has committed, he will die."
So if we say we're Christians, but live like the world, where are we going? Heaven, or hell? So what does that mean for your life? Are you righteous or wicked? There is no grey area.
There's more in this chapter. God isn't finished with what he's saying. Check this out. He addresses their reactions to these statements, in verses 25-29, concisely saying what he just spelled out.
"Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Hear O Israel: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust?" (from verse 25)
God is just because "[He] will judge you, each one according to his ways." So! "Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why do you die, O house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!"
This is a clear, awesome statement about God's justice. He cares about each one of us, but he gave us freewill to act like the world, or act like Him. We need to make up our hearts, and spirits, and get Christ in our ways and actions, rather just in our academics and our conversations.
Something for a person who may read the Bible with more of a self-interpreting mindset--at the end of this conversation with the elders the Lord was speaking to, they (the elders) said, "Isn't he just telling parables?" (Ezekiel 20:49)
Does God want us to hear what He says and change it to our needs, feelings, hopes and dreams, or does God want us to read the Scriptures as they are meant to be written? Weren't the Pharisees guilty of taking the Scriptures the wrong way? I think we all are able to do this, including me. So when you read the Bible, take into consideration to pray before reading, asking God to lead your heart to understand what He is saying, rather than you taking the wrong interpretation.
What thinks you?
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