Is the God of the Bible Too Judgmental? A Look at Ezekiel 18: 1-32
In Ezekiel 18: 1-32, the Lord is dealing with individuals, their personal moral actions, and the generation in which one lives. The focus is that one's moral actions has consequences that effect the generation in which that person lives. Although the original recipients of His message was Israel, like all Scripture, there are timeless principles that need to be applied to our time today.
In Ezekiel 18, the first section of the chapter deals with the Lord declaring that each person is accountable for their individual choices. If they live righteously, they will live; if they live sinfully, they will perish (Ezekiel 18:1-20). The main conclusion throughout this section is found in verses 4 and 20 that states that "the soul that sins will die." There is nothing here of the Lord being too judgmental. He is making it plain that since He owns all souls (Ezekiel 18:4), each person (father and son) will receive the consequences of their own actions (Ezekiel 18: 19-20). The focus clearly is on individual accountability. Notice how this passage sounds familiar to Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23; and Romans 6:23 in the New Testament? This is because the Lord is the same Lord (Hebrews 13:8) who we read of in the New Testament who speaks of loving your enemies (Matthew 5:44).
The next section of Ezekiel 18 deals with the reality that if a person changes course in his ways, the Lord will reward him likewise (Ezekiel 18: 21-24). Notice what the Lord says in verse 23:
Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?This verse shows us the heart of God. God doesn't take pleasure in people dying in their sins! In fact, death itself was never a part of God's original creation (Genesis 1:31). The reason there is death and suffering in the world today is because humanity sinned against God (Romans 5:12). Originally, the Lord created us to live forever in perfect fellowship with Him! Since all of us are sinners (Romans 3:10), all of us will perish in our sins unless we turn from our sins and turn to the Lord, the only One who can give eternal life (idea of "live" in this passage). This is the Lord's desire for you--He wants you to repent (to change one's mind and course) of your wickedness (2 Peter 3:9)! Isn't it wonderful to know that no one is stuck in his or her lot of life regarding wickedness? I see in this passage hope for all people who want to be liberated from their sinful ways and have the eternal life that only God can give (John 5:24; John 6:40; John 10:28; Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 5:17)!
In Ezekiel 18:25-29 God deals with the wrong assumptions of His people Israel who believed that God should not hold each person accountable, but rather deal with them because of what happened before them in the previous generation (Ezekiel 18: 2, 19). Fortunately, the Lord already stated in verse 20:
The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.The conclusion from verses 25-29 is that God is just in holding people accountable individually for their actions in the generation in which they live.
Here in the final section (Ezekiel 18: 30-32) the Lord states that He will judge everyone according to His actions (verse 30), and challenges everyone to repent and change so sin doesn't ruin them. How about you? Are you living in sin right now? Change now so you will not be judged according to your sins! How do you change? Cast away your sin (verse 31) and make a new heart (A new heart is reference to a new spiritual heart). How do you make a new heart? The answer is you must be born again (John 3:3) by the Lord God (Titus 3:5). To be born again means to let the Lord give you a new heart and a new spirit. This conversion comes about when a person repents of his sin and believes what the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. What does the Bible teach? The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for the penalty of your sins and rose from the dead the third day to give eternal life to all who believe in Him (John 3:16-21; Romans 10: 9-13; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
Is God too judgmental? The answer is no. Rather He is loving to allow each to live according to his free will, holding him accountable for his actions. God is love, and made the way possible through the death of His beloved Son for all to have the opportunity to change and be delivered by His righteous love. If you haven't yet been born again, do so now so you too will live and not die!
Rev. Steve
Psalm 119:89
