What actions might lead a righteous person to "turn from his righteousness"? The Sobering Warning in Ezekiel 18:24 “But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, doing the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness and sin he has committed, he will die.” (Ezekiel 18:24) Common First Steps Toward Decline • Complacency about past obedience (1 Corinthians 10:12) • Neglect of prayer, Scripture, and fellowship (Hebrews 10:25) • Subtle compromise with culturally accepted sins (Romans 12:2) • Entertaining sinful thoughts that mature into actions (James 1:14-15) Specific Actions That Open the Door to Apostasy 1. Prideful Self-Reliance • “Pride goes before destruction.” (Proverbs 16:18) • Trust shifts from God to personal strength or reputation. 2. Persistent Disobedience in Daily Choices • “Whoever sows to please his flesh will reap destruction.” (Galatians 6:8) • A pattern of small, repeated sins forms a hardened heart. 3. Embracing Worldly Desires • “Do not love the world or anything in the world.” (1 John 2:15-17) • Materialism, sensuality, and status gradually crowd out devotion. 4. Ignoring God’s Warnings and Conviction • “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Hebrews 3:12-13) • Refusal to repent when the Spirit or Scripture confronts sin. 5. Associating Closely with the Ungodly Lifestyle • “Bad company corrupts good character.” (1 Corinthians 15:33) • Values, speech, and conduct begin to mirror the surrounding darkness. 6. Harboring Unforgiveness and Bitterness • “See to it that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” (Hebrews 12:15) • Bitterness stifles love and fosters rebellion against God’s commands. 7. Flirting with False Teaching • “For certain men have crept in unnoticed.” (Jude 4) • Doctrinal error erodes confidence in God’s Word and moral standards. 8. Returning to Former Bondages • “It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness.” (2 Peter 2:20-22) • Past addictions or idolatries become attractive again when vigilance fades. The Progressive Nature of the Turn • Drifting: subtle shifts of affection away from Christ (Revelation 2:4). • Defiance: deliberate choices that conflict with known truth (Isaiah 30:9). • Departure: open rejection of God’s authority, leading to spiritual ruin (Ezekiel 33:12-13). God’s Call to Ongoing Faithfulness • “Continue in the faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope of the gospel.” (Colossians 1:23) • “Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have worked for.” (2 John 8) A righteous person remains secure by cultivating humility, immediate repentance, diligent watchfulness, unwavering love for truth, and constant dependence on the grace that empowers obedience. |
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