“For every living soul belongs to Me, the father as well as the son, both alike belong to me. The soul that sins is the one who will die.” Ezekiel 18:4(NIV)
The prophet tells us that God ministers justice according to each man’s sins and righteousness. Those who teach that because the fathers are blessed the children are equally blessed are wrong. Just As those who tell us that because a father is brutal and callous, the children will grow us the same are equally wrong.
One of my dearest friends was raise up in many foster homes and was beaten and tormented in most of them. Yet he has the kindest, most generous soul of most men I know. As I read through the chapter in Ezekiel, I found that God tells us that He will judge not on our “religiosity” but on our Faith, Righteousness and Moral Conduct.
“But if a wicked man turns away from all sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die.” Ezekiel 18:21. “But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live?….Because of the unfaithfulness he is guilty of and because of the sins he has committed, he will die.” Ezekiel 18:24.
I know that many teach that when you come to Christ all your sins, past present and future are forgiven. Yet I would hold to the teaching that if you continue to sin or return to a sinful life after coming to Christ, you are more guilty than those who never came to Him at all. I would rather err on this side and seek forgiveness and redemption and reconciliation each time I stay (which I do more often than I would like to admit), rather than sit in false confidence that I will not reap the wrath of God and continue to live in folly.
A wise man follows the heart of righteousness, the fool seeks to sit in the den of iniquity. “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” Proverbs 11:3.
Let Wisdom, Whom Proverbs says lives with prudence, was brought forth as the first of His works, appointed from eternity, guide you and advise you that to sin is folly and risks the torment of your soul. He who is rich in self discipline gathers knowledge of God and His way, he who continues to offend the Might of God, seeks to destroy himself. He who believes that he can do as he pleases because God forgives all without condemnation is seeking to void himself of God’s tender mercies.
“For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God.” 1 Thess 4:7-8
Do not reject God by foolish, sinful lives but strive alway in every way to live in acordance to the commands of Christ. Seek His Way in every way and walk in godly life so that your children may see you as examples of True Living.