[:en]SCRIPTURE: EZEKIEL 18
“The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son.” (Ezekiel 18:20)
“If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin, he will die for it; because of the sin he has committed he will die. But if a wicked man turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life. Because he considers all the offenses he has committed and turns away from them, he will surely live; he will not die” (Ezekiel 18:26-28)
“Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offense; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!” (Ezekiel 18:30-32)
THE SOUL WHO SINS WILL DIE
HOW DOES ONE CONSIDERED AS RIGHTEOUS?
- He does what is just and right (v. 5)
- He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols (v. 6)
- He does not defile his neighbor’s wife or lie with woman during her period (v. 6)
- He does not oppress anyone but returns what he took in pledge for a loan (v. 7a)
- He does not commit robbery but give his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked (v. 7b)
- He does not lend at usury or take excessive interest (v. 8a)
- He withhold his hand from doing wrong and judge fairly between man and man (v. 8b)
- He follows God’s decrees and keeps His laws faithfully (v. 9)
The Jews were quoting a familiar proverbs of “The fathers eat sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge” to accuse God of being unfair. They argued that God is unjust because He punishes the children for the father’s sins.
God judge individual regardless of what their fathers have done. Children cannot be punished for their father’s sin nor can they claim their father’s righteousness. God would gladly forgive sinners if they would repent.
The only time God punished the innocent was when He allowed His Son to die on the cross for the punishment of our sins. It is because of His grace that Christ suffered sins for the unjust so that we can be justified and saved.[:]