Ezekiel 18

Maud church of Christby Jim BradshawSunday Evening, Jan. 26, 2014

Today many believe in inherited sin.

In the days of Ezekiel there was a proverb.• Judah was destroyed due to the sins of Manasseh• 2Ki 21:11-12 NKJV "Because Manasseh king of Judah has

done these abominations (he has acted more wickedly than all the Amorites who were before him, and has also made Judah sin with his idols), (12) therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Behold, I am bringing such calamity upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whoever hears of it, both his ears will tingle.

• Judah did not acknowledge their own involvement in sin, and their need to repent of their own sins.

Eze 18:1-4 NKJV The word of the LORD came to me again, saying, (2) "What do you mean when you 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," says the Lord GOD, "you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel. (4) "Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die.

Jer 31:29-30 NKJV In those days they shall say no more: 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, And the children's teeth are set on edge.' (30) But every one shall die for his own iniquity; every man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge.

“The fathers have eaten sour grapes, And the children's teeth are set on edge”

Joh 9:1-3 NKJV Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. (2) And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" (3) Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.

God puts an end to this proverb

God says, “The Soul who sins shall die!”

Eating Sour GrapesWhat is Sin?

In Hebrew the word means an offenceIn Greek it literally means to “miss the mark"

1Jn 3:4 NKJV Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

Sins are not inherited, but consequences may be passed down

Exo 20:5 NKJV you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,

Personal Responsibility

Php 2:12 NKJV Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;

Personal Responsibility

Eze 18:5-9 NKJV But if a man is just And does what is lawful and right; (6) If he has not eaten on the mountains, Nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, Nor defiled his neighbor's wife, Nor approached a woman during her impurity; (7) If he has not oppressed anyone, But has restored to the debtor his pledge; Has robbed no one by violence, But has given his bread to the hungry And covered the naked with clothing; (8) If he has not exacted usury Nor taken any increase, But has withdrawn his hand from iniquity And executed true judgment between man and man; (9) If he has walked in My statutes— And kept My judgments faithfully— He is just; He shall surely live!" Says the Lord GOD.

A Just Father (King Hezekiah)

Personal Responsibility

Eze 18:10-13 NKJV "If he begets a son who is a robber Or a shedder of blood, Who does any of these things (11) And does none of those duties, But has eaten on the mountains Or defiled his neighbor's wife; (12) If he has oppressed the poor and needy, Robbed by violence, Not restored the pledge, Lifted his eyes to the idols, Or committed abomination; (13) If he has exacted usury Or taken increase— Shall he then live? He shall not live! If he has done any of these abominations, He shall surely die; His blood shall be upon him.

An Ungodly Son (King Manasseh)

Personal ResponsibilityEze 18:14-18 NKJV "If, however, he begets a son Who sees all the sins which his father has done, And considers but does not do likewise; (15) Who has not eaten on the mountains, Nor lifted his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, Nor defiled his neighbor's wife; (16) Has not oppressed anyone, Nor withheld a pledge, Nor robbed by violence, But has given his bread to the hungry And covered the naked with clothing; (17) Who has withdrawn his hand from the poor And not received usury or increase, But has executed My judgments And 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, Robbed his brother by violence, And did what is not good among his people, Behold, he shall die for his iniquity.

A Righteous Grandson (King Josiah)

Personal ResponsibilityEze 18:21 NKJV "But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

Manasseh Repents later in life

2Ch 33:12-13 NKJV Now when he was in affliction, he implored the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, (13) and prayed to Him; and He received his entreaty, heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God.

Personal ResponsibilityThere would still be consequences:

2Ki 23:26 NKJV Nevertheless the LORD did not turn from the fierceness of His great wrath, with which His anger was aroused against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked Him.

We Must All RepentEze 18:25-32 NKJV "Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair.' Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair? (26) When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies in it, it is because of the iniquity which he has done that he dies. (27) Again, when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive. (28) Because he considers and turns away from all the transgressions which he committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. (29) Yet the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not fair.' O house of Israel, is it not My ways which are fair, and your ways which are not fair?

We Must All RepentEze 18:25-32 contd. (30) "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways," says the Lord GOD. "Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. (31) Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? (32) For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies," says the Lord GOD. "Therefore turn and live!"

What is Repentance?

2Co 7:10 NKJV For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

We Must All RepentRepentance is a change of heart and direction

Luk 13:1-5 NKJV There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. (2) And Jesus answered and said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? (3) I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. (4) Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? (5) I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."

Hear – Romans 10:17

Believe – Heb. 11:6; Mark 16:16

Repent – Luke 13:3, 5; Acts 2:38

Confess – Matthew 10:32,33

Be Baptized – Acts 2:38; 22:16

Live faithfully – 1 Corinthians 15:58Steps to Salvation