How do you understand Ezekiel 3:20

[Timotheus]

"...When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand."

Can a righteous turn to unrighteous?

 

[Scarlett O.]

"...When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand."

You have to understand Ezekiel 3:20 in light of Ezekiel 3:17-21.

• verse 17 - God is charging Ezekiel with the duty of being a "watchman" over the Israelites in exile.
• verse 18 - God tells Ezekiel that when He is about to destroy wicked people and Ezekiel doesn't warn them about God's wrath, that their blood will be on his hands.
• verse 19 - Conversely, God says that if Ezekiel does warn them about God's decrees and they remain in wickedness anyway and die for it, then Ezekiel is not to be held accountable.
• verse 20 - God says the same thing goes for righteous people. If righteous people get involved in sin, God won't put up with it from his people anymore and sometimes will take their life from them. If Ezekiel does not hold the people accountable to what they know is right, then when they die, Ezekiel will have their blood on his hands.
• verse 21 - But if righteous people heed Ezekiel's warnings of God's wrath and stop their sin, then they won't die and Ezekiel will be responsible for saving their lives and delivering their souls.

Can a righteous turn to unrighteous?

You bet. Everyday.

Christians stop going to church....stop reading their bibles.

Some Christians succumb to substance abuse, adultry, and worse. If they are repentant, that's good.

But I believe that sometimes a wayward Christian will have his life taken from him because he/she is now a stumbling block to other people and an ineffective witness for God.

God isn't playing around with sin. He may call the weak Christian home early and that Christian may lose certain rewards, but He still calls him home.

 

[J. Jump]

You bet. Everyday.

You better duck Scarlett O. I can already hear the missles being readied for launch :laugh:.

Christians stop going to church....stop reading their bibles.
Some Christians succumb to substance abuse, adultry, and worse. If they are repentant, that's good.

Amen. Are you ducking yet. Seriously you better find a foxhole fast :laugh:. INCOMING!

But I believe that sometimes a wayward Christian will have his life taken from him because he/she is now a stumbling block to other people and an ineffective witness for God.

Not sure how often that happens, but it certainly can. We can see evidence of wordly (or whatever term you want to interject here) Christians around every turn. And there will be a price that will be paid come Judgment Day. All of us should heed that warning!!! I know I certainly need to be reminded of it often.

 

[Scarlett O.]

You better duck Scarlett O. I can already hear the missles being readied for launch
Amen. Are you ducking yet. Seriously you better find a foxhole fast :laugh:. INCOMING!

I toyed with even writing a response because I knew what might be coming.

But I stand by what I say and I ain't skeered. :laugh:

 

[Timotheus]

Scarlett O, the Bible verse says that "...he (the righteous) shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered."

The verse does not seem to give occasion to repentance, so it cannot be compared to the new testament person who professes salvation. The key here is DIE IN HIS SIN (to me that means without the benefit of repentance). It was kind of confusing at first reading, for it seems to go along with those who believe that you can lose your salvation (is it Armenianism?).

 

[psalms109:31]

scripture in new

James 5:17
Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. 19My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, 20remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

 

[Apreacher4Him]

There is a "Sin" unto Death.... I do not say that you should pray for it...

Lord forgive me... I have my own sins of thought, word, and deed....

Yet does not your word teach that even a believer may be more of a liability
than an instrument in the Kingdom of God?

More of a Vessel to Honour than a Vessel to Dishonour?

Oh I have been a Vessel to Dishonour too much (and God knows the heart)
And I have been a Vessel to Honour not enough!

But praise be to God which giveth us the Victory over Sin through our Lord Jesus Christ... God's grace is sufficient and anyone who rightly repents of His Sin and humbly seeks God's grace shall find such...

But, when sin has blinded you ......... off times it requires the witness of the righteous to turn a sinner from His way... That is why as Christians... we best not leave Church attendance! How stupid! forgive me.... But, I say that with all compassion as I have missed church more services this summer than I have since 1990.... and I have suffered!

But, besides... what is the greatest "JUDGEMENT" that can be levied on a Believing Christian by the Body of Christ? What does the Scripture call "delivering" one "to Satan..." that he might learn from His trial and suffering in the Body, that is His flesh?

That is right, Kicking one out of Church! So why would we self-inflict ourselves with the worst penalty a Christian could suffer? Life outside the Fellowship, Testimony, and Worship of the Pillar and Ground of Truth!!??

Wouldn't that be like a Criminal saying hmm... work-release? why don't I just Go on Death row until I have paid my Debt and if I don't repent in time then I'll just pay "the sin unto Death" ...

I don't know about you But I always learned more AT school than when I played SICK at HOME!! Sometimes people are REALLY SICK... and God gives grace... But, if you are willfully forsaking the assembly then you run the risk of being deprived the blessing of this world's greatest institution: the Church!

I say this because in this WORLD full of LUSTS & PRIDE... the "righteous" can become blinded in the bondage and darkness of their own sin very quickly ... The Church is a Divine Lifeline in this PRESENT WORLD...

Let us walk sober, righteously, and Godly... for if we are not part of the solution seeking the Kingdom of God first... we are so soon becoming part of the Problem!

The Bible says it best: Ye which are Spiritual restore such an one....

Does going to Church "make" ye Spiritual? Nay, but not going to Church will
sure make you carnal in a hurry!

God help us to warn the unrighteous and when His Word speaks to us as we read and as we Go to Church to ask our Lord God... What would you have me change to be more like thee in this message that you have for me today?
You do go to Church to learn what God has for you don't you??

I have digressed some... But, in this N.T Age of Grace the Righteous are best to read the text: If the Godly "scarcely be saved" where shall the.... sinner appear?
And seek to "win the lost" being careful about the "beams" that are more significant than the "motes"...


God bless!

 

[Tom Butler]

Ezekiel 3:17-21 appears to be compatible with I John 5:16 "there is a sin unto death..."

There's plenty of disagreement over exactly what that sin is, but it is certainly willful, deliberate and continuous. And at some point, God simply takes out that sinning believer. He kills him.

 

[DeafPosttrib]

I ask you, what does 'death' represents? What shall happen to righteous' soul, if a person turns from righteous life to wicked life, by the time, person dies(Physical)?

In Christ
Rev. 22:20 -Amen!

 

[Apreacher4Him]

Once Saved Always Saved

Eternal Security is a blessed doctrine...

obviously if a child of God sins enough to be taken home... his soul has not been lost, but alas his life has!

God however is much more merciful than you or I and repentance need not take long.

God bless, Just repent!