"Son of man, say to the Israelites, 'This is what you are saying: "Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away because of them. How then can we live?"' Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?'
"Therefore, son of man, say to your people, 'If someone who is righteous disobeys, that person's former righteousness will count for nothing. And if someone who is wicked repents, that person's former wickedness will not bring condemnation. The righteous person who sins will not be allowed to live even though they were formerly righteous.' If I tell a righteous person that they will surely live, but then they trust in their righteousness and do evil, none of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered; they will die for the evil they have done. And if I say to a wicked person, 'You will surely die,' but they then turn away from their sin and do what is just and right— if they give back what they took in pledge for a loan, return what they have stolen, follow the decrees that give life, and do no evil—that person will surely live; they will not die. None of the sins that person has committed will be remembered against them. They have done what is just and right; they will surely live. "Yet your people say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' But it is their way that is not just. If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil, they will die for it. And if a wicked person turns away from their wickedness and does what is just and right, they will live by doing so. Yet you Israelites say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' But I will judge each of you according to your own ways."
(Ezekiel 33:10-20 NIV)
Thank goodness we have a God who is both just and yet desires that the wicked should repent and live.
This Old Testament verse from the prophet Ezekiel ties in directly with Jesus message:
Mark 1:15 The time has come, he said.
The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!- Jesus
And also the parable of the workers in the field:
"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. "The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. "But he answered one of them, 'I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?' (Matthew 20 NIV)
God has open doors. If we will repent and receive Christ and live in his righteousness by faith then we will be saved even on the last hour. For it is not by a lifetime of works that we inherit heaven but by the work of Jesus on the cross.
The Lord is just.
We each die by our own sins except that Jesus died for our sins.
The Lord is generous.
All who repent and believe will be saved.
Our work is to believe in the one the Father sent: Jesus the Son of God in flesh that he died for our sins and rose again victorious!
To do so we must
Recognize our sinfulness
Repent and turn to God to change
Receive the forgiveness by the cross and new life in the Spirit
For we will continue to sin
But we must fight it and live by the Spirit
Then we will live now and forever
In heaven with God our Father
in his house
Not because of our righteousness but Christ's!
God help me to preach and teach this boldly. Not hiding our sin and the death due for sin. But also joyful in he life through Christ.
Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment