19 “Yet you say, ‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. 20 The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.
21 “But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 22 None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live. 23 Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? 24 But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die.
25 “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just? 26 When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it; for the injustice that he has done he shall die. 27 Again, when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life. 28 Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, are my ways not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?
30 “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.”
The wages of Sin is death. All those who do not turn from their wicked ways will suffer death. Those who do not repent of their sins, will likewise find eternal death. This is the justice of the LORD. He will punish the wicked for their deeds. It is this justice that the people of Israel truly fear.
You know better than all others the bad choices you continue to make. You know better than others the difficulties you struggle with. You know better than anyone, the just punishment you deserve for your sins. So the People of Israel claim that they are being punished for the sins of their fathers. But they are being punished because they are sinners.
The people of Israel will be lead into exile. God will judge all of us. It is time for the people to repent of their transgressions. It is time for the people to turn from their false teachings. It is time to turn from the World and its ways. Now, you need to turn to God. Ezekiel is calling his people to turn to the LORD. Moses calls the people to turn to God. Jesus continues to call disciples to turn to God. The Holy Spirit has chosen you to turn and live.
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