Connect Ezekiel 33:12 with New Testament teachings on repentance and salvation. The Heart of Ezekiel 33:12 “ ‘The righteousness of the righteous man will not save him on the day he transgresses, and the wickedness of the wicked man will not cause him to stumble when he turns from his wickedness.’ ” (Ezekiel 33:12) • Israel had assumed past obedience earned ongoing security. • God corrects that thinking: present repentance matters, present rebellion endangers. • The principle: Our current posture toward God, not yesterday’s record, determines our standing. Jesus Carries the Same Torch • Mark 1:15 — “Repent and believe in the gospel!” • Luke 13:3 — “Unless you repent, you too will all perish.” • Matthew 3:8 — “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” Key parallels: 1. Repentance is decisive and urgent, not optional or delayed. 2. Past religious effort cannot cancel present sin (cf. Ezekiel’s righteous man who turns away). 3. Genuine turning brings immediate mercy, regardless of how dark the past (like the wicked man who turns). Apostolic Echoes of Ezekiel’s Warning • Acts 3:19 — “Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away.” • 1 John 1:9 — “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us.” • Hebrews 3:14 — “We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly to the end the assurance we had at first.” Notice the pattern: – Repentance + ongoing faith = wiped-out sin and shared life in Christ. – Drift back into unbelief = loss of the benefits once professed (Hebrews warns like Ezekiel). Grace and Responsibility Walk Together • Ephesians 2:8-9 affirms salvation is “by grace…through faith…not by works.” • But grace produces a transformed walk (2 Corinthians 5:17). • Galatians 6:7-8 cautions, “God is not mocked…whoever sows to please his flesh will reap destruction.” Ezekiel 33:12 fits perfectly: – No righteous résumé can overrule current rebellion. – God’s grace eagerly wipes out former wickedness when we truly turn. Putting the Threads Together 1. Salvation’s doorway is repentance and faith in Christ — always present-tense. 2. Perseverance is proof. Yesterday’s prayer means little if today’s heart rebels. 3. No sinner is beyond hope. The moment we turn, God meets us with full pardon. 4. Assurance grows as we keep short accounts with God, confess quickly, and walk in the Spirit. Living the Message Today • Examine today’s heart: Am I relying on past “good days,” or walking in present obedience? • Celebrate grace: Even long histories of sin are erased the instant we turn to Jesus. • Keep repentance normal: Confession and course-correction are daily rhythms, not emergency measures. |
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