What is the meaning of Ezekiel 3:20? Now if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity - Scripture takes the scenario seriously: a genuinely righteous person can still choose to abandon obedience. - Ezekiel 18:24 parallels the thought, reminding that a willful lapse nullifies previous faithfulness. - 1 Corinthians 10:12 warns, “So the one who thinks he is standing firm should be careful not to fall.” - The verse pushes us to continual repentance and watchfulness rather than resting on a past profession of faith. and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die - God Himself may allow circumstances that expose hidden rebellion; the “stumbling block” is an instrument of just judgment (Romans 1:24; 2 Thessalonians 2:11). - “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Physical demise and spiritual separation are both in view; sin always leads to loss. - Proverbs 11:19 affirms, “He who pursues evil brings about his own death.” If you did not warn him, he will die in his sin - The prophet—and by extension every believer—bears a watchman’s duty (Ezekiel 3:17–19). - Silence is never neutral: James 5:19-20 highlights the privilege of turning a sinner “from the error of his way” and saving a soul from death. - Paul echoes the same burden in Acts 20:26-27, declaring himself “innocent of the blood of all men” because he did not shrink from declaring the whole counsel of God. and the righteous acts he did will not be remembered - Salvation is not a ledger of good deeds; perseverance proves genuine faith (Matthew 7:21-23; Hebrews 10:38-39). - Good works done yesterday cannot offset deliberate rebellion today. Revelation 3:5 speaks only of those who “overcome” having their names retained in the Book of Life. - God’s forgetfulness here is judicial, underscoring that the final assessment is based on present standing, not past reputation. And I will hold you responsible for his blood - Failure to warn implicates the messenger; the image reaches back to Genesis 4:10 where innocent blood cries out. - Ezekiel 33:6-8 repeats the principle: a silent watchman shares the guilt of the fallen. - Paul applies it to ministry in 1 Timothy 5:22: “Do not share in the sins of others.” Remaining quiet when truth must be spoken invites accountability before God. summary Ezekiel 3:20 teaches that righteousness is not a static status but a living walk that can be forfeited by willful sin. God may permit judgment to reveal such defection, resulting in death. Those called to warn have a sacred obligation; silence endangers both sinner and messenger. Past deeds cannot rescue a soul that turns away, and the responsibility for failing to give warning rests squarely on the one who kept quiet. |
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