LEARNING DAILY

 

Ezekiel 33:12, “Therefore you, O son of man, say the children of your people: ‘The righteousness of the righteous man shall not deliver him in the day of his transgressions; as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall because of it in the day that he turns from his wickedness; nor shall the righteous be able to live because of his righteousness in the day that he sins.’”

 

Chapter 33 of Ezekiel is an interesting chapter. Jerusalem has fallen and God has made Ezekiel a watchman for the house of Israel (v. 7). It is his responsibility to warn the people when he sees danger coming. God has told him He would give him a word of warning to speak. It is then up to the people to pay attention to the warning or ignore it.  Ezekiel was to be faithful in warning them to turn from their sin and trust God in all they do. Verse 10 indicates that the people are actually sorry for their past sins, and in verse 11 Ezekiel assures them that God wants everyone to turn to Him so they do not die in their sins. They can repent; God will forgive them and direct them as they walk with Him in a new way of life.

 

In verse 12 above, Ezekiel warns them that each person is responsible to do what is right and just. The righteous who turn back to sin will be held accountable for their sin; they must repent (1 John 1:9). They cannot rely on their past works of righteousness to save them. Read on and see that the wicked who turn to God and turn away from their sin will be saved – none of their sins will be remembered and held against them; they receive the gift of eternal life. Those that receive God’s punishment do so because they have done wrong not because God is unjust. 

 

Romans 3:10-18 tells us that there is no one who is righteous and there is no fear of God in people. They summarize human nature very well. All people will be judged by God on the basis of their own right or wrong choices. On that basis all will be found guilty because in our natural state we are being affected by our sinful nature, conformity to the world’s standards, and turning away from the way of godliness and turning to self-centeredness or selfishness. This verse is pretty clear that people are without exception in need of a Savior! There is no one who is able they say they are good enough to deserve heaven.

 

Romans 3:11 continues that no one even searches after God. They do not understand Him or the need to search for Him; therefore, they don’t. Because of that verse 12 indicates that from God’s point of view no one chooses to do good because they want to do what they want to do not what God wants them to do. The sin of people is that they choose to ignore God believing He does not exist or does not see our sin or that He will not even judge us for our sinfulness. That is a terrible mistake.  And I refer back to Ezekiel’s writing.

 

There is an answer! Jesus Christ came to take the place of sinful people on a cross; He took upon Himself the punishment for each of the sins every person has committed. Placing our faith, trust and hope in what He did saves us, places us on a narrow way leading to eternal life in His kingdom and cleanses us every day to make ready for His kingdom. We become righteous through the blood He shed taking our rightful place. We come into a right relation with the Lord and because of that we have a desire to seek Him. We seek Him in order to remain in His righteousness, living and walking on the narrow way as He desires. It is His free gift to all who come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ. It is through forgiveness and repentance that “we stay ready, so we don’t have to get ready” (Dr. Ed Newton) as the time draws closer to that trumpet sounding when Jesus Christ calls His faithful and ready people to meet Him in the clouds. There are warnings all around us. Pay attention and do not ignore the warnings being given.