The burden of the word of the Lord concerning the salvation of His people. It is written in Ezek 18:24-28 ?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. 25 Yet ye say, The way of the LORD is not 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.? This is the word of the Lord which He has commanded us to declare to His people this day. That all men should repent of their sins and depart from every unrighteousness. That His people should love justice and mercy, and live unto Him in holiness and purity, for His coming is now at the doors.
As it is with many today that proclaim to be a member of the body of Christ but yet refuse to continue in the way of holiness but instead follow their own hearts attending to perverted doctrines to accommodate their worldly lusts, so also it was with Israel in those days when the Lord sent these same words which you have heard today to them. Hearing these words in those days, Israel complained that the way of the Lord was not equal and just (Ezek 18:26): for how could a righteous man who had lived in righteousness many years become a sinner again and die because of sin? Why should he not continue to live if he had lived more in righteousness than in sin? Why would he not be rewarded for his many righteous deeds? Why should he die for committing only one sin? Possibly, this kind of reasoning might also be in the minds of some people that read this epistle. Yet still, God took issue with this kind of reasoning and plainly revealed the fact that sin is sin wherever it is found and in whomsoever it is found. It is a deadly thing that will damn the soul. Understand that one sin is sufficient to kill; he who sins incurs the death penalty regardless of all else in his life; and one sin will damn a righteous man as quickly as a wicked man. God Himself said every soul that sins must die (Ezek 18:4), for the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23). This is what God said. Why then would some people refuse to believe God and yet claim to belong to Him? Whether God said this in the Old or New Testament, it is always true. Is it not written concerning the word of the Lord that it endures forever (1 Pet 1:24)? Is it not this same word that is preached by the gospel unto us all? Shall we then accept some and cast some away? God forbid. Has God not exalted His Word even above all His name (Psa 138:2)?
Though God said the soul that sinneth shall die, no one needs to die through sin for we are all privileged to be made alive again upon meeting certain conditions of getting rid of sin. The sole responsibility of choosing death or life lies with every individual, not with God. In the scriptures cited above, God declared that His ways are equal because He deals with all alike, without respect of persons (Rom 2:11). Man on the other hand is unlike God for his ways are unequal. Man?s ways are unequal because unlike God, man expects God to overlook his sin without repentance, he expects God to spare him if his righteous deeds outweigh his unrighteous deeds, and he expects God to bless him while he continues to sin and transgress God?s words.
Again, it is plainly stated in Ezek 18:26 that if a righteous man turns from righteousness and commit sin and dies physically in sin, he shall die and be lost. He shall not be saved, neither shall he see God. There is no exception to this, for God is not a respecter of persons. God said this man will die because for his iniquity; not for any other reason (v 26). Death is the penalty for sin; and because God is just, every sinner must pay the death penalty if he does not repent (Ezek 18:4, 20, Gen 2:17, Rom 1:29-32, 6:14-23, 8:12-13, Gal 5:19-21). In like manner, when the wicked man ceases to sin but turn to righteousness by putting his faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, believing in His death, burial, and resurrection, and living according to His word from henceforth, he is rewarded with life. God said He shall live and not die (v 28). Again, there is no exception to this, for God is not a respecter of persons. If any man refuse to believe this word but yet continue to sin against God transgressing His word and eventually dies while in sin, though he confess Christ, without repentance from sin, he shall be lost. When he dies and suddenly finds himself in another place but heaven, he will acknowledge that these words are true. The only way of escape is through genuine repentance and turning from sin. This is what we have been commanded to declare unto all men. The living Father sent us and we must finish the work He has given us. He has commanded us to sound the alarm, to call all His people to repentance from sin, and to make ready for Himself a holy people prepared for the Lord.
It is also written in Ezek 33:12-13 ?Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth. 13 When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousness shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.? This scripture is a stinging rebuke to those who think that a man once born again will be saved regardless of what he does. Any man that teaches this doctrine and cause men to perish in the end because they would not repent and turn away from sin shall answer unto God on that day. It is plainly stated in the Scriptures above that the righteousness of the righteous man shall not deliver him in the day he commits sin. There can be no misunderstanding of such a simple statement. God said a righteous man cannot continue to be righteous when he sins; and his past experience in God, in grace, in the new birth, cannot and will not save his soul if he dies in sin. In Ezek 18 alone as cited above, God statedfour timesthat the righteousness of a righteous man shall not be remembered in the day he commits sin and dies in them. God said this, not man, so He must be believed.
From the Scriptures above, we understand that the same righteousness that God demanded in the Old Testament is the same righteousness He demands under the New Testament. Would God not be unjust if He allowed some of His own people Israel to perish under the Old Testament because they would not hear His words and repent of their sins after many warnings from His prophets, and then allow Gentiles under the New Testament to go unpunished while committing the same sins committed by Israel under the old Covenant? Is it not written that I am God and I change not? Is God not the same yesterday, today and forever? Is it not written many times in the Scriptures concerning God that He is just in all His ways? Apostle Paul made it very clear that our Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us (Rom 8:4), which is the righteousness God demanded under the Old Testament. All men must attain this righteousness in order to be saved in the end. And this righteousness can ONLY be attained by FAITH unto OBEDIENCE. Not just proclaiming faith in Christ as many do today while continuing in the ways of the world. This faith must be unto obedience as Abraham obeyed God when God called him unto righteousness, as our Lord Jesus Christ did as it is written concerning Him that He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. So we also must be obedient unto Him in all things for we are no longer our own but His. He has bought us with a price, His precious blood. So then, if we truly are in Him, we ought to serve Him, living unto Him and not unto ourselves. This we must do day by day. Psa 106:3 declare that blessed are they that keep judgment and he that doeth righteousness at all times. If the word of God says righteousness can be done at all times, then it means it can be done. This is what God said. Men must learn to have absolute faith in the Word of God. Not just proclaiming faith and belief, but rather living for Christ in everyday life in holiness and purity.
It is also stated in Psa 73:27 that they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. By this Scripture we understand that there are two classes of people that will be damned in the end. The first class are those that are far from God. This comprises those who have never known God and Christ for it is impossible to know God without Christ (John 1:18). The second class are those that backslide and go whoring from God. This takes in all those who go back into sin and eventually die in sin (Ex 32:32-33, Ezek 18:20-24, 33:12-16, Luke 8:13, Rom 6:16-23, Rom 8:12-13, 1 Corinth 3:16-17, 6:9-10, 9:27, Gal 1:6-8, 3:1-8, 5:1-4, 19-21, 2 Tim 2:12, Heb 10:26-29, 2 Pet 2:20-22, Rev 2:5, 3:5, 22:11).
Yet still, we put you all in remembrance concerning how we are commanded to live and walk in Christ as it is written in the Scriptures. It is written that a new man is created in us the moment we become born again by accepting Christ through repentance and faith. This new man is created in righteousness and true holiness (Eph 4:24) and must continually manifest in this way. At the time this takes place, one becomes a Christian. From then and forward, we are commanded: To live and walk in holiness before God all our days (Luke 1:75, Rom 6:19, Heb 12:14), to bring forth fruit unto holiness (Rom 6:22), to perfect holiness in the fear of God (2 Corinth 7:1), and to have hearts unblameable in holiness before God (1 Thess 3:13). We are called unto holiness (1 Thess 4:7). We must continue in holiness to be blessed (1 Tim 2:15). We must govern our lives according to holiness (Tit 2:3). We must be partakers of holiness (Heb 12:10). And we must follow holiness, without which no man shall see God (Heb 12:14). This is how we are commanded to walk in Christ and we beseech every man by the mercies of God to hearken to these words and strive to do them always. The coming of the Lord is at the doors and He has sent us to sound the alarm and warn all His people to depart from sin and iniquity, and be prepared, and be ready, and be looking for His coming which is now at the doors. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. For as it is written: If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. If there be anyone of you in any form of sin today, let him repent today, for today is the day of salvation. Let him return unto the Lord while it is still day for the master of the house soon cometh. Understand and know that the Lord cometh shortly. Prepare, Watch, and Be Ready.
If there is anyone that desire to be saved, let him pray the prayer of faith below. And if you have given your life to Him but you are not working in His will, or may be you still have the works of the flesh and the burden of sin in you, you might want to say this short prayer of commitment and rededication below. God bless.
