What lessons on repentance can we learn from Ezekiel 23:43? Context in a Sentence Ezekiel 23 portrays Samaria and Jerusalem as two sisters, Oholah and Oholibah, whose repeated spiritual adultery (idolatry) exhausts them yet never drives them to true repentance. Text “Then I said of the one worn out by adultery, ‘Now let them continue their harlotry with her.’” (Ezekiel 23:43) What We Learn About Sin’s Grip • Sin wearies the sinner (“worn out by adultery”) yet still entices. • A heart can become so calloused that even exhaustion does not prompt repentance (cf. Jeremiah 6:15). • God may give a stubborn person over to the very sin they crave (Romans 1:24). • Public shame (“let them continue”) exposes sin’s emptiness but does not, by itself, produce change. Lessons on Genuine Repentance • Recognize spiritual fatigue as a merciful warning. Feeling “worn out” is God’s nudge to turn, not to dig in deeper (Psalm 32:3-4). • Repentance must go beyond regret; it demands forsaking the sin that drained us (Isaiah 55:7). • Delayed repentance hardens the heart. Persistent rebellion invites God to remove restraints (Hosea 4:17). • Repentance involves a decisive break: “Stop!” is the opposite of “let them continue.” God calls for a clean severance, not gradual tapering (2 Corinthians 6:17). • The goal is restoration, not mere relief. Only a restored relationship with the Lord renews strength (Acts 3:19). • The cross proves God’s readiness to receive the repentant; Christ bore the burden that sin piles on those “worn out” (1 Peter 2:24). Practical Steps Toward Repentance 1. Confess the specific sin instead of general sorrow (1 John 1:9). 2. Renounce lies that sin still satisfies; remember its exhausting cost (Proverbs 5:22-23). 3. Replace the old pattern with disciplined obedience—Word, prayer, fellowship (Hebrews 10:24-25). 4. Seek accountability; hidden sin revives, exposed sin withers (Ephesians 5:11-13). 5. Celebrate God’s mercy daily; gratitude guards against returning to spiritual adultery (Psalm 103:1-5). Takeaway Weariness from sin is not the end; it is the signal to repent immediately, rely on Christ’s cleansing, and walk in renewed faithfulness before the Lord. |
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