[Anglican Devotional 20 July 2022] Topic: God Forgives Sin But Punishes Sinners
TOPIC: God Forgives Sin But Punishes Sinners
READ: TEXT: Ezekiel 18:21-32 (NKJV)
” But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
“None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live.
“Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord GOD, “[and] not that he should turn from his ways and live?
” But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked [man] does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.
” Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair?
“When a righteous [man] turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies in it, it is because of the iniquity which he has done that he dies.
“Again, when a wicked [man] turns away from the wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive.
“Because he considers and turns away from all the transgressions which he committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
“Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ O house of Israel, is it not My ways which are fair, and your ways which are not fair?
” Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord GOD. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin.
“Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel?
“For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord GOD. “Therefore turn and live!”
The MESSAGE:
Yesterday, we saw that all souls belong to God. He is particularly interested in every individual and will by no means absolve the guilty but will save the souls of the righteous. Our passage today points out clearly that it is the desire of God to embrace any sinner that turns away from his wickedness (v.27). This is another scriptural proof that God loves sinners but hates sin. As soon as a sinner throws away his sin and comes to God, he will be welcomed. This is because God’s mercy is boundless and endures forever. It is also interesting to note that God is not going to spare anyone who had known His way but deliberately relapses into sin and fails to repent; his righteous deeds will no longer count (v.26). In other words, the righteous have to be on their toes always in their pursuit of the holiness of God. God is so just that when a sinner repents, he obtains forgiveness but when a righteous person backslides, he will be severely punished. Beloved, God can cleanse you from your sins no matter how terrible they might be. The blood of Jesus Christ our Lord cleanses from all sins (1John 1:7). All you need to do is to surrender to the Lord and turn away completely from your sinful lifestyle; God is willing to forgive you.
Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and He will save you from your sins (Matt. 1:21) In the same vein, if you have been on the Lord’s side and you are beginning to sing the Lord’s songs in a strange land, it will be rewarding for you to turn to the Lord for forgiveness. Your unrighteous activities are enough to rob you of your eternal crown. Therefore, as a carrier of God’s saving grace, you are to remain steadfast to the very end. God has no pleasure in the death of a sinner but that he should repent and live.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, I come to you today, save my soul and let me stand in the righteousness of Christ always. Amen.
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