I read through
Ezekiel 33 and there were 3 major themes that stood out to me (fitting, 3
for chapter 33). I just wanted to share a few of the passages in that
chapter, because I think these are important and relevant messages for
Christians today:
Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you will surely die,' and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself. Ezekiel 33:7-9
See, we are our brothers' keepers. If we see sin - the kind of sin that leads to death (1John 5:16-17) - we must warn the person who sins. And why warn him? To dissuade him from the sinful lifestyle. The truth of the Bible is common sense. Brothers and sisters, it is not love to sit back and say nothing when you see someone living in sin. That is not love at all. Some people have mistakenly got the idea that its mean and harsh to point out someone's sin, but in fact it is a very loving thing to do. Do you want that person to go to hell? If not, then speak up, and try to dissuade him from the sinful lifestyle. Furthermore, God may hold you responsible if you do not say anything. In this chapter God is telling Ezekiel that he will be held accountable if he does not warn the people of their sin and the result of their sin.
Therefore, son of man, say to your countrymen, 'The righteousness of the righteous man will not save him when he disobeys, and the wickedness of the wicked man will not cause him to fall when he turns from it. The righteous man, if he sins, will not be allowed to live because of his former righteousness.' If I tell the righteous man that he will surely live, but then he trusts in his righteousness and does evil, none of the righteous things he has done will be remembered; he will die for the evil he has done. And if I say to the wicked man, 'You will surely die,' but he then turns away from his sin and does what is just and right - if he gives back what he took in pledge for a loan, returns what he has stolen, follows the decrees that give life, and does no evil, he will surely live; he will not die. None of the sins he has committed will be remembered against him. He has done what is just and right; he will surely live. Ezekiel 33:12-16
This is both a word of encouragement and a word of warning. Its encouragement for the sinner: if he turns from his sinful lifestyle, repents and seeks God, he will be saved. He does not have to think that his situation is hopeless. There is hope. But its a word of warning to those who trust in their past righteousness. Its also a word of warning to those who believe 'once saved, always saved,' also known as the doctrine of Eternal Security. This passage shoots all kinds of holes in this false doctrine. And the danger for those who believe this doctrine is that they trust in some past righteousness. Once they think they are saved, they believe they will always be saved. And so they have no reason to check themselves. And they let themselves slip into a sinful lifestyle. Its a very dangerous false doctrine, my brothers and sisters. Never become too confident in past deeds. You can lose your salvation.
As for you, son of man, your countrymen are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, 'Come and hear the message that has come from the LORD.' My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice. Ezekiel 33:30-32
Wow. It sounds like people who go to church every Sunday, hear the message, say "what wonderful music." It sounds like people who tune into the Christian radio station. It sounds like people who even read the Bible. But its only love songs and an instrument played well. Because they do not do what the word says. They are hearers of the word, but not doers of the word (James 1:22). So all of their hearing, all of their speaking well of Ezekiel, means nothing. It is no good for them, because they keep on disobeying the word.
Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you will surely die,' and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself. Ezekiel 33:7-9
See, we are our brothers' keepers. If we see sin - the kind of sin that leads to death (1John 5:16-17) - we must warn the person who sins. And why warn him? To dissuade him from the sinful lifestyle. The truth of the Bible is common sense. Brothers and sisters, it is not love to sit back and say nothing when you see someone living in sin. That is not love at all. Some people have mistakenly got the idea that its mean and harsh to point out someone's sin, but in fact it is a very loving thing to do. Do you want that person to go to hell? If not, then speak up, and try to dissuade him from the sinful lifestyle. Furthermore, God may hold you responsible if you do not say anything. In this chapter God is telling Ezekiel that he will be held accountable if he does not warn the people of their sin and the result of their sin.
Therefore, son of man, say to your countrymen, 'The righteousness of the righteous man will not save him when he disobeys, and the wickedness of the wicked man will not cause him to fall when he turns from it. The righteous man, if he sins, will not be allowed to live because of his former righteousness.' If I tell the righteous man that he will surely live, but then he trusts in his righteousness and does evil, none of the righteous things he has done will be remembered; he will die for the evil he has done. And if I say to the wicked man, 'You will surely die,' but he then turns away from his sin and does what is just and right - if he gives back what he took in pledge for a loan, returns what he has stolen, follows the decrees that give life, and does no evil, he will surely live; he will not die. None of the sins he has committed will be remembered against him. He has done what is just and right; he will surely live. Ezekiel 33:12-16
This is both a word of encouragement and a word of warning. Its encouragement for the sinner: if he turns from his sinful lifestyle, repents and seeks God, he will be saved. He does not have to think that his situation is hopeless. There is hope. But its a word of warning to those who trust in their past righteousness. Its also a word of warning to those who believe 'once saved, always saved,' also known as the doctrine of Eternal Security. This passage shoots all kinds of holes in this false doctrine. And the danger for those who believe this doctrine is that they trust in some past righteousness. Once they think they are saved, they believe they will always be saved. And so they have no reason to check themselves. And they let themselves slip into a sinful lifestyle. Its a very dangerous false doctrine, my brothers and sisters. Never become too confident in past deeds. You can lose your salvation.
As for you, son of man, your countrymen are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, 'Come and hear the message that has come from the LORD.' My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice. Ezekiel 33:30-32
Wow. It sounds like people who go to church every Sunday, hear the message, say "what wonderful music." It sounds like people who tune into the Christian radio station. It sounds like people who even read the Bible. But its only love songs and an instrument played well. Because they do not do what the word says. They are hearers of the word, but not doers of the word (James 1:22). So all of their hearing, all of their speaking well of Ezekiel, means nothing. It is no good for them, because they keep on disobeying the word.
thanks Brent! That has hit my spot lately too!
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