How does Ezekiel 18:22 connect with 1 John 1:9 on forgiveness? Side-by-Side Promises • Ezekiel 18:22 — “None of the transgressions he has committed will be remembered against him. Because of the righteousness he has done, he will live.” • 1 John 1:9 — “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Shared Ground: Personal Response to God • Both passages place the responsibility on the individual: – Ezekiel speaks of turning from wickedness (v.21). – John calls for honest confession. • Repentance/confession is not mere emotion but an about-face that results in changed living (Acts 3:19; Proverbs 28:13). Depth of Forgiveness: Remembered No More vs. Cleansed Completely • Ezekiel highlights God’s promise to “not remember” past sins—divine amnesia (cf. Hebrews 10:17; Isaiah 43:25). • John adds the idea of cleansing, removing the stain itself (Psalm 51:7; Isaiah 1:18). • Together they reveal a two-fold gift: – Judicial pardon (guilt erased). – Moral purification (defilement removed). God’s Character: Faithful, Just, Consistent • Ezekiel shows God’s justice in rewarding righteousness. • John emphasizes God’s faithfulness and justice in Christ’s atonement (Romans 3:26). • The same holy standard underlies both covenants; the cross supplies the legal basis for the promise (Hebrews 9:12). Resulting Life: Not Just Forgiven—Alive and Free • Ezekiel: “he will live” points to restored fellowship and blessing. • John: “cleanse us from all unrighteousness” prepares believers for ongoing communion (1 John 1:7). • Freedom from remembered sin fuels grateful obedience (Romans 6:22; Titus 2:11-14). Takeaway Connections • God’s forgiveness has always been total—He deletes the record (Ezekiel) and scrubs the heart (John). • Confession/repentance is the divinely appointed doorway to that forgiveness; no other route exists. • The harmony of these texts reassures believers: what God pledged through the prophet, He secures through His Son. |
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