How does Ezekiel 18:27 challenge the concept of predestination? Canonical Text “‘But if a wicked man turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life.’” — Ezekiel 18:27 Immediate Literary Context Ezekiel 18 dismantles a popular proverb in exilic Judah, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge” (v. 2). Verses 19–32 stress personal accountability: “The soul who sins is the one who will die” (v. 20); “Repent and live!” (v. 32). Verse 27 crowns the argument by portraying a wicked individual whose destiny genuinely changes when he repents. Historical and Archaeological Reliability The verse appears verbatim in the Masoretic Text, the Septuagint, and fragment 4QEzekielᵃ (c. 100 BC). The negligible variance among these witnesses underscores textual stability, confirming that the prophet’s emphasis on individual repentance predates later doctrinal debates. Theological Force: Human Contingency 1. Conditional Clause: “If a wicked man turns…” signals a genuine alternative future. 2. Moral Agency: Responsibility is located in the individual’s decision, not ancestral lineage (vv. 1–4). 3. Divine Appeal: God implores, “Why should you die, O house of Israel?” (v. 31), indicating His desire that the condition be met. How the Verse Challenges Strict Predestination 1. Changeable Outcome: An already-wicked person can alter his fate; fixed, unconditional reprobation is denied. 2. Divine Pathos: God’s plea (vv. 30–32) is inconsistent with a decree rendering repentance impossible for some. 3. Temporal Sequence: Wickedness → repentance → life, not decree → inevitable acts → rubber-stamped end. Supporting Passages Emphasizing Contingency • Deuteronomy 30:19 — “I have set before you life and death…choose life.” • Jeremiah 18:8 — “If that nation…turns from its evil, I will relent.” • Jonah 3:10 — God “relented of the disaster” when Nineveh repented. • 2 Peter 3:9 — God “is patient…not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” Reconciling with Sovereign Foreknowledge Scripture also teaches election (Ephesians 1:4–5; Romans 8:29–30). The tension is resolved when God’s sovereignty is seen as: • Compatibilist: God ordains ends and the genuine means of repentance (Philippians 2:12–13). • Knowledge-Based: Foreknowledge of freely chosen repentance informs, rather than coerces, divine decree (1 Peter 1:2). • Corporate: Election applies to those “in Christ” (Ephesians 1:1), a group one enters by faith. Historical Interpretations • Early Church Fathers (Justin Martyr, Dialogue 140; Irenaeus, Against Heresies 4.37) cited Ezekiel 18 to affirm free will. • Medieval Scholastics argued for synergism using this chapter (cf. Aquinas, ST I-II, 109.6). • Reformers acknowledged the text’s weight; Calvin viewed the call as a genuine secondary cause, although ultimately governed by divine decree (Institutes 3.24.15). Practical and Pastoral Implications 1. Evangelism: Offer repentance to all without qualification; the invitation is sincere. 2. Counseling: Stress personal responsibility; past patterns do not predetermine future destiny. 3. Worship: Praise God for justice that holds individuals accountable and mercy that welcomes every repentant heart. Conclusion Ezekiel 18:27 asserts that a wicked person can truly repent and thereby live, confronting any doctrine of predestination that negates genuine moral freedom. When balanced with texts on divine election, the passage teaches that God sovereignly ordains salvation yet does so through authentic human repentance, preserving both His glory and our responsibility. |
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