What consequences does Ezekiel 33:13 outline for turning from righteousness to sin? Backdrop of the Watchman’s Warning Ezekiel 33 repeats the “watchman” theme: God appoints a herald to announce danger. In verse 13 the focus shifts from the watchman to the individual believer who once lived righteously but then abandons that path. The Verse Itself “If I tell the righteous man that he will surely live, but he trusts in his righteousness and commits iniquity, none of his righteous deeds will be remembered, and he will die for the iniquity he has committed.” (Ezekiel 33:13) Clear-Cut Consequences for Turning Back • Erasure of prior righteousness – “None of his righteous deeds will be remembered.” – Past obedience cannot offset present rebellion (cf. Ezekiel 18:24). • Personal liability for new sin – “He will die for the iniquity he has committed.” – The penalty is individual and unavoidable (Romans 6:23). • Loss of promised life – God had said the righteous “will surely live,” yet apostasy cancels the assurance. • Divine justice upheld – God’s standard never changes; righteousness must be continual (Hebrews 10:26-27). Why Previous Good Works Cannot Save • Self-trust replaces God-trust—“he trusts in his righteousness.” • All righteous acts are still finite; sin incurs infinite guilt (Isaiah 64:6). • God demands perseverance in faith and obedience, not a ledger balance (Matthew 24:13). New Testament Reinforcement • Romans 11:22—“Consider therefore the kindness and severity of God… continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.” • 2 Peter 2:20-22—the dog returning to its vomit depicts believers who relapse into sin and reap worse consequences. • James 5:19-20—turning a sinner back from error saves him from death and “covers a multitude of sins.” Living in Light of the Warning • Guard your heart daily (Proverbs 4:23). • Rely on Christ, not past performance (Philippians 3:9). • Practice ongoing confession and repentance (1 John 1:9). • Encourage one another so that none “may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:13). The message is sobering yet life-giving: steadfast obedience, empowered by God’s grace, secures the promised life, while abandoning righteousness invites irrevocable judgment. |
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