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Sept. 24, 2005 "1 The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying, 2 What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? 3 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. 4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die." (Ezek. 18:1-4) The Prophet Ezekiel is given some very sobering words. The words are simple and powerful in explaining the effect of sin on the individual man. Men were speaking things that God had never intended for man. The remainder of what constitutes the 18th Chapter of Ezekiel's prophecy explains why it is not true that a son would necessarily share the sins of his father. " 5 But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right, 6 And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour's wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman, 7 And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; 8 He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man, 9 Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD." (Ezek.18:5-9) All the words in the above paragraph are based in the Mosaic Law. This was the "Gold Standard" for the Hebrew and any who came to worship the God of the Jew. During the period of the Law, which extended from the giving of the law to Moses to the Resurrection of Jesus, man only found favor with God through his faithfulness in following the rules as handed down through the Aaronic Priesthood. You have to understand the times and the context. The times were the that of those under a law that would be later fulfilled and unbinding. The context is God speaking through a Hebrew Prophet to his chosen nation Israel. "10 If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things, 11 And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour's wife, 12 Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination, 13 Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him." (Ezek. 18:10-13) It does not necessarily follow that a son would be as righteous as a father. There are ways to bring up children that they will follow the ways of righteousness but in this age of fatherlessness throughout so many family situations, there has been a marked decline in the righteous standings of generations. The absolute importance of a father in the home has been historically proven and testified to. There have been many recent calls for fathers to again become the responsible parties in the raising of the children they produce. Too often fathers fail in their responsibility toward their children. But the failure of the child is on his own head. Ezekiel is shown that the righteous individual is not responsible for the unrighteousness of his offspring. He has set the example. Should the child fail to heed the example and go off to do his own pleasure his blood remains on his own head. " 14 Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like, 15 That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour's wife, 16 Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment, 17 That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live. 18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity." (Ezek. 18:14-18) Just as the first son of the chain failed to follow his father's righteous walk, so now we have a son who is failing to follow his father's unrighteous ways. Again, very simply, each person is responsible for his own walk and way. Neither will be punished or rewarded for the actions of the generation before or after. This is how God has always dealt with men when it comes to their eternal existence. God does not condemn those who believe and follow in righteousness. Only the souls that continue in sin, without regard for God will face what scripture terms "the second death". "19 Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live. 20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him." (Ezek. 18:19-20) This spiritual fact cannot be stated more simply. "21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. 23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?" (vs. 21-23) God does not change. He hasn't changed his dealings with individual souls since the creation of Adam. Turning away from sin and toward God has always meant the blessing of eternal life for the individual. God does not deal in death; he deals in life eternal. Everything he has done for men has pointed toward life. Remember the times and the context, yet carry this to the present. God still calls for men to repent from sin and turn to him; not through the works of a law that has been fulfilled; but through faith in the one who fulfilled that law entirely. "24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die." (vs.24) We have seen many failures over the years of men supposedly righteous and right with God. The ones who have failed are no longer mentioned for the good things they did in their careers before sin brought them into disrepute. God is the final arbiter for all men. It is not right or pure that we judge the ways and actions of men. God knows hearts while men can only wonder and try to psychoanalyze each seeming anomaly brought on by sin. Can a truly born again Christian turn from God into a life of sin? Of course! Even a cursory reading of the Apostle Paul's letters reveals all manner of sin erupting in the early church. Men were judged by their peers and sent out from the body of believers that they would not pollute the entire congregation. Not much of that happens anymore. Churches rarely turn out sinners for the "destruction of the flesh". Many times the path of compromise is chosen at the detriment of the whole. "25 Yet ye say, The way of the LORD is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal? 26 When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. 27 Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. 28 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 29 Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the LORD is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?" (18:25-29) How much like these modern times was the Israel here speaking against God. Imagine; God unequal; an outrageous assumption! People who express such assumptions have no clue to the truth of salvation. Any adopted child of God is a co-equal partner in the inheritance of the only begotten. There is no dispute that every believer that has the Spirit indwelling the life shares all things equally with the Godhead. As the Apostle John wrote: "Dear friends, now we are the children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is." (1 John 3:2-3) That is not imagination. That is equality of the highest sense. Men can assume God is unequal in his dealings with men but the reality is that it is men who unequally deal with God as they do with each other. "30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye." (18:30-32) And so the final and simple warning given to the Prophet for the people. In the time and the context, this message was for Israel under the law. The call was for repentance and faith in God. Perhaps the times have changed. Perhaps the context is different, but the call for repentance has never changed and the result of true repentance and faith has not differed over the centuries. Repentance brings life. It is the soul remaining in sin that will die. ------------ Email Skip: skiptoomaloo@hotmail.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com. 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