Ezekiel 18

Ezekiel 18: Repent and Live

Today, we are going to discuss the story of three men. A grandfather, his son, and his grandson. I want to ask you a question first, “are the sons guilty for the sins of their father?” And, in another since, “are the sons forgiven based on the righteousness of their father?” In this story, we will see that a father is not guilty because of the sins of the son, and that the father is not forgiven because of the righteousness of the father.

Irresponsible.

You are accountable to do righteousness with whatever you have.

Let’s build a bit of a historical and theological context for this passage:

We have spent the past few weeks discussing the sinfulness of the nation and how it has led to their current standing with God.

We have a nation in exile.

We have a prophet calling the people to repentance.

We have a prophet promising restoration for the people.

Let me give you a few other examples:

Jeremiah 31:29 CSB

29 “In those days, it will never again be said, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’

In addition Deuteronomy speaks into this passage:

Deuteronomy 24:16 CSB

“Fathers are not to be put to death for their children, and children are not to be put to death for their fathers; each person will be put to death for his own sin.

Exodus 20:5 CSB

Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me,

So, consider the predicament of Ezekiel. He finds himself in a position of exile “due” to the sins of previous generations, resulting in present day suffering. Ezekiel may be facing the persecution and pain from the sins of the previous generation, but he is the one who chooses to live his life in wickedness or righteousness in the midst of suffering.

Let’s look at the passage:

Ezekiel 18 CSB

1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel: ‘The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’? 3 As I live”—this is the declaration of the Lord God—“you will no longer use this proverb in Israel. 4 Look, every life belongs to me. The life of the father is like the life of the son—both belong to me. The person who sins is the one who will die. 5 “Suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right: 6 He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her menstrual impurity. 7 He doesn’t oppress anyone but returns his collateral to the debtor. He does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing. 8 He doesn’t lend at interest or for profit but keeps his hand from injustice and carries out true justice between men. 9 He follows my statutes and keeps my ordinances, acting faithfully. Such a person is righteous; he will certainly live.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. 10 “But suppose the man has a violent son, who sheds blood and does any of these things, 11 though the father has done none of them. Indeed, when the son eats at the mountain shrines and defiles his neighbor’s wife, 12 and when he oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, and does not return collateral, and when he looks to the idols, commits detestable acts, 13 and lends at interest or for profit, will he live? He will not live! Since he has committed all these detestable acts, he will certainly die. His death will be his own fault. 14 “Now suppose he has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, and though he sees them, he does not do likewise. 15 He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife. 16 He doesn’t oppress anyone, hold collateral, or commit robbery. He gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing. 17 He keeps his hand from harming the poor, not taking interest or profit on a loan. He practices my ordinances and follows my statutes. Such a person will not die for his father’s iniquity. He will certainly live. 18 “As for his father, he will die for his own iniquity because he practiced fraud, robbed his brother, and did among his people what was not good. 19 But you may ask, ‘Why doesn’t the son suffer punishment for the father’s iniquity?’ Since the son has done what is just and right, carefully observing all my statutes, he will certainly live. 20 The person who sins is the one who will die. A son won’t suffer punishment for the father’s iniquity, and a father won’t suffer punishment for the son’s iniquity. The righteousness of the righteous person will be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked person will be on him. 21 “But if the wicked person turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all my statutes, and does what is just and right, he will certainly live; he will not die. 22 None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. He will live because of the righteousness he has practiced. 23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” This is the declaration of the Lord God. “Instead, don’t I take pleasure when he turns from his ways and lives? 24 But when a righteous person turns from his righteousness and acts unjustly, committing the same detestable acts that the wicked do, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. He will die because of the treachery he has engaged in and the sin he has committed. 25 “But you say, ‘The Lord’s way isn’t fair.’ Now listen, house of Israel: Is it my way that is unfair? Instead, isn’t it your ways that are unfair? 26 When a righteous person turns from his righteousness and acts unjustly, he will die for this. He will die because of the injustice he has committed. 27 But if a wicked person turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will preserve his life. 28 He will certainly live because he thought it over and turned from all the transgressions he had committed; he will not die. 29 But the house of Israel says, ‘The Lord’s way isn’t fair.’ Is it my ways that are unfair, house of Israel? Instead, isn’t it your ways that are unfair? 30 “Therefore, house of Israel, I will judge each one of you according to his ways.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. “Repent and turn from all your rebellious acts, so they will not become a sinful stumbling block to you. 31 Throw off all the transgressions you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, house of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. “So repent and live!

Your forgiveness is not dictated by your situation.

Your forgiveness is dictated by what you do with your situation.

Ezekiel 18:20 CSB

The person who sins is the one who will die. A son won’t suffer punishment for the father’s iniquity, and a father won’t suffer punishment for the son’s iniquity. The righteousness of the righteous person will be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked person will be on him.

If you find yourself, like Ezekiel, in the midst of a culture that has created suffering, you are not experiencing punishment for your sins. You are experiencing the result of sinful generations before you. Our goal then, is to live a righteous life today, regardless of the circumstances around us. We do not ask how much money, we ask how to be righteous with the money we have. We do not ask how much clothing, we ask how to be righteous with the clothing we have. We do not ask how many days off we have, we ask how to use every day to bring glory to God with another righteous day, and another righteous day. And, if you find yourself on the beach, how do you live righteous? And, if you find yourself working 12 hours a day to come home to your children who need you, how do you live righteous? When you find yourself afflicted by suffering, or faced with persecution, you ask yourself, how do I respond with righteousness. Because, those who are righteous will live, and those who are unrighteous will die.

But, what about the righteous person who turns from righteousness?

Ezekiel 18:26 CSB

When a righteous person turns from his righteousness and acts unjustly, he will die for this. He will die because of the injustice he has committed.

And, what about an unrighteous person who turns from unrighteousness?

Ezekiel 18:27 CSB

But if a wicked person turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will preserve his life.

I don’t want to appease the question too much, but does this mean that a Christian can lose their salvation? Well, we could ask and answer that, which I believe I have before. Or, we could ask this question, “How do I live a righteous life?” We can determine how far we can go before we have gone to far, or we can determine how to live a righteous life and not worry about whether we can lose our salvation or not. But, I understand that many have fallen and we want to know if they have fallen too far. Let me suggest an Ezekiel 18 mindset:

Ezekiel 18:27–28 CSB

But if a wicked person turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will preserve his life. He will certainly live because he thought it over and turned from all the transgressions he had committed; he will not die.

It would be the desire of our God, as he says in Ezekiel 18:32

Ezekiel 18:32 CSB

For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. “So repent and live!

And later in...

Ezekiel 33:11 CSB

Tell them, ‘As I live—this is the declaration of the Lord God—I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked person should turn from his way and live. Repent, repent of your evil ways! Why will you die, house of Israel?’

And further, in the New Testament, we see it in 2 Peter 3:9:

2 Peter 3:9 CSB

The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.

Our God is not a God who desires for the wicked to remain wicked. He desires for the wicked to turn from their wickedness.

But, what about you? What do you want for the people around you? Do you write people off because of the wickedness you see?

God has not written you off.

God has not written your child off.

God has not written our world off.

Or, as CH. Spurgeon said on August 17th, 1884:

The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, Vol. XXX Pleading and Encouragement (No. 1,795)

He taketh no pleasure in the groans and cries of hell, but in the repentance of sinners he hath joy.

I wonder if our silence magnifies the groans and cries of hell in our world. When the gospel isn’t proclaimed, the bad news is all that’s left. Whether the death people experience in this world or after this life, the groans and cries are magnified when the celebrations of saints runs silent. We need to preach louder than the world.

Today, in our culture, we must stop blaming our parents or our children for our situation. We must instead ask, how can we be righteous today.

Some of you are frustrated with how the next generation has turned out. They will neither send you to hell nor send you to heaven.

But, in God’s grace, your faithfulness in life might lead them into repentance which results in life.

Some of us are frustrated with the sins of the previous generation. We are caught blaming their problems for our own. But, we must remember, their sins will not send us to heaven or hell. You live a righteous life whether you have or do not have.

Or, as Paul says in Philippians 4:12-13:

Philippians 4:12–13 CSB

I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.

Here’s what this text means for us today:

Live righteous in your situation.

Ask how this situation does the following:

Removes strong supporters

Heightens your stressors

Desensitizes your morals

You are judged for your own life.

Own your righteousness

You can’t ride the holiness of your friend, neighbor, or spouse

Own your wickedness

Your situation can’t dictate your wickedness.

Your birth can’t dictate your wickedness.

Your next movement in life dictates whether you are going to live holy or wicked. You make once step right now...

Whatever your families past did doesn’t dictate what you do.

Our world needs to see people who model forgiveness and grace. We need to show people what it looks like to assess personal righteousness and personal wickedness.

We need to confront a culture that lumps everyone together and condemns them all. Not all Christians are legalistic hypocrites, but some are. Not all Americans are greedy, but some are. Not all white people are racist, but some are. Not all cops are murderers, but some are. Not all middle easterners are terrorist, but some are. In fact, the only thing that unites us all, is that we are wicked people in need of one man’s one act of forgiveness upon a torture device for the sake of all. All are wicked, all need Jesus. Or, as Paul says it:

Romans 5:17 CSB

17 If by the one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

Turn from wickedness.

If you are stuck, here’s some moves to make:

Share with someone

Share with God

Look to scripture

Remove negative influences

Find positive influences

This is what we are going for:

Ezekiel 18:14–17 CSB

14 “Now suppose he has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, and though he sees them, he does not do likewise. 15 He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife. 16 He doesn’t oppress anyone, hold collateral, or commit robbery. He gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing. 17 He keeps his hand from harming the poor, not taking interest or profit on a loan. He practices my ordinances and follows my statutes. Such a person will not die for his father’s iniquity. He will certainly live.

Would you consider turning to King Jesus this morning? Would you consider trading your wicked ways for a new way of life found in the way, truth, and life called Jesus. I urge you this morning, to take one movement in your life. A movement that leads to life, not death.

Over the next few months, I’m going to be challenging you to start a movement in your life, and in this community. It will be a movement towards life, and a movement that clashes directly with culture. Today, we must begin with our individual role in this. No matter what situation you face, no matter who caused your situation, you make your own movement right now. Will you join me?

If so, I have three responses for you:

Turn to King Jesus

Turn others to King Jesus

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