The Soul that Sins
by Pastor Mark Taylor - December 30, 2021
“The Soul Who Sins Shall Die - He that is righteous; he shall surely live, declares the Lord God.” Ezekiel 18: 4,9
Chapter 18 of Ezekiel is declaring that every person is responsible for their own sin. In our culture we sometimes excuse our sinful behavior as a result of our past. Some have used a term generational curse as an excuse that they have no personal choice on how they will live. The sins of our fathers and mothers have an influence on us, but it is not an excuse that will hold up when we stand before God at our judgement.
Every person will be judged according to whether they have accepted the Lord Jesus as their Savior. The demonstration and truth of that is how we respond to sin. It does not mean that we reach a state of sinless perfection. It does mean we are not to live a life of continuous sin without any repentance or change. While the dying in these verses could mean both physical death and/or eternal death, they should compel us to live a holy life. “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12: 1-2) Be careful not to lose all your rewards God wants to give you when you reach Heaven, and still have to suffer the consequences of your sins on earth while you are here.
Ezekiel is writing in this chapter about a wide held belief that the sins of the fathers would be passed down to the children. While this seems to be the history and the choices of the Children of Israel from the time of Moses, Ezekiel is bringing in a New Covenant of how God will deal with his children, including the Gentiles. God tells Ezekiel “As I live says the Lord God, you shall not have an occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge". The soul that sins, it shall die…He that walks in my statutes, and has kept my judgments, to deal truly, his is just, he shall surely live, says the Lord God.” (Ezekiel 18: 4, 9).
God has a message for those who have lived a wicked live. In this chapter God says: “If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he has committed, and keeps all my statutes, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he has committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him, in his righteousness that he has done he shall live.” (Ezekiel 18:21:22).
God also has a message for those who were living a life pleasing to God and then turns to the way of the wicked person. “But when the righteous turns away for his righteousness, All his righteousness that he has done shall not be mentioned, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them shall he die.” (Ezekiel 18:24).
The main message of this chapter is Repentance. “ Therefore I will judge you O house of Israel, every one according to his ways says the Lord God: Repent and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so sin shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your sins, whereby you have transgressed, and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dies, says the Lord God, wherefore turn yourselves, and live.” (Ezekiel 18:30:32).
This new heart is the one God gives us when we repent of our sins and accept the Lord Jesus as our personal Savior. “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:8-9). “Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3).
We will all die physically. But we will not all die spiritually. “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” (John 11: 25-26)
If God’s grace leads you to repentance and His Holy Spirit calls you to come to Christ and to give your life to Him, do it today. This has to be done personally and sincerely. This is more than walking down an aisle saying a prayer and being baptized. That is something you should do. But those demonstrations of your faith are only the beginning of living a life that is pleasing to God. The first choice you have to make is to receive this wonderful offer of eternal life, our Lord Jesus is offering you.
“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live..” (Deuteronomy 30:19)
