Turn Away from Evil to Live

Background Scripture: Ezekiel 33
Lesson Scripture: Ezekiel 33:10-16; Joshua 24:19-26

Introduction

It takes a firm decision and a whole-hearted commitment to serve the Lord. Jesus taught that no one could come to Him except the Father draw him. But God is no respecter of persons, and everyone He calls can have eternal life. Peter stated it clearly when he said, “But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him” (Acts 10:35). Peter also tells us in his second epistle that God “is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9). Nevertheless, God’s Word also teaches about his judgments on those who continue in sin.

Key Verse

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me (Acts 26:18).

Lesson Scripture

Studying the Lesson

Ezekiel was chosen of God to be a watchman for Israel during their captivity in the land of Babylon. He was exiled into Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar together with other captives, including the principal inhabitants of Judah. Jehoiachin, king of Judah, was also taken at this time. Ezekiel was preaching in Babylon the same message Jeremiah was preaching in Jerusalem: the certainty of God’s judgment on sin. Jeremiah was older than Ezekiel, and Ezekiel may have been his student.

As a watchman, Ezekiel was given the responsibility of the care and welfare of God’s people. A watchman’s duty is to be perceptive to the threat of danger and sound a warning. If he sees danger and fails to give a warning, he is accountable to God for those who are lost.

Ezekiel assures the people that God has no pleasure in the death of the unsaved; He does not want them to die in a lost condition. God’s desire is that they repent and turn from their wicked ways. He will then be gracious to them so that they may live and not die.

People are inclined to take consolation in remembering the good that they have done, thinking it can be used as credit with God. The prophet tells the people that the good they have done will not benefit them in the day they commit iniquity, but though they have walked in disobedience and error, they will not die if they repent and turn from sin. Jesus taught this same principle of repentance in the parable of the two sons who were asked to work in their father’s vineyard (Matt. 21:28-31). The one son agreed to go but then did not go; the other one refused to go but repented and went.

It is impossible to serve God half-heartedly. In Joshua’s day, he asked the people to choose whom they would serve (Josh. 24:15). Apparently, they believed they were serving the true God, but Joshua knew that secretly many of them were worshiping the false idols of their neighbors. He mentions the gods of the Amorites, in whose land they were dwelling.

Joshua made it clear to the Israelites that God is a jealous God, and He would only accept them if they would put away all other gods and serve Him with all their heart. Obviously, the people believed what Joshua told them and made a full commitment to the true God.

Practical Truths for Today

We are living in a time when a watered-down version of Christian life is being promoted. It does not require turning away from sin. Many people say they believe in God but do not believe that He would cast anyone into eternal perdition. Others say once they have been saved, it is impossible to fall from grace and be lost. On the other hand, there are those who seek their own righteousness with a conservative lifestyle, adhering to a code of practice with an outward observance of certain traditions and teachings. None of the above examples embody the proper understanding of justification that comes by faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

Those who believe and repent receive Him into their heart and walk with Him in obedience. The faith chapter (Heb. 11) tells of Abraham, who believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. It tells of Abel, who offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain when he took the best lamb from his flock and offered it as a sacrifice. He must have understood that without the shedding of blood there was no remission for sin. Noah, being warned of God of things to come, believed Him and built the ark to save his family. Because of his faithfulness, he became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith (v. 7). Each hero of faith is an example of obedience to God. To follow God in obedience, we must turn away from our own way.

Those who want to have their sins forgiven show that their faith is genuine by turning to Jesus and truly repenting of their sins and confessing them. We must completely commit our life to God and be obedient to his Holy Spirit. These are the conditions we must meet to be justified before God. However, we must realize that nothing we can do merits before God; our works do not contribute to our salvation. By faith we must accept that we have sinned and that our fall was total. Through faith we know that our only hope for salvation is Christ’s finished work on Calvary. Jesus paid the ransom for our sins on Calvary through his suffering and death, as we read in Isaiah 53:11: “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied.” We believe this to be the basis of our justification and that this is God’s part in our salvation.

When someone is kidnapped, the kidnappers demand a ransom. They send a message to the loved ones of the one they have kidnapped and demand money as a ransom. If this ransom is not satisfied, they will not return the kidnapped person and may even kill him. Because Satan through sin has enslaved us, some may think the ransom is paid to Satan. However, that is not so. God is holy, and his law is holy and just. We are all sinners and have transgressed this holy law and were condemned to die. It is God’s holy law that demands a ransom so that we can be set free. Christ came to give his life as a ransom for many (Matt. 20:28).

In Matthew 11:12 we read, “The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” This Scripture reminds us that sometimes we need to do violence to our flesh. A father told an experience that happened when his children were still at home. He woke up during the night, and the Holy Spirit drew near, showing him where he had failed his family and that he needed to acknowledge these failures to them. It was clear and seemed like it would be so easy to do if he could do it just now. But it was the middle of the night and he would need to wait until devotion time in the morning. In the morning, it did not seem easy anymore, but as he did violence to his flesh and began speaking to his family, the Holy Spirit came and gave a beautiful open door.

Making a right decision takes an effort—it takes self-denial. After the prodigal son (Luke 15:17-20) came to the decision to return home, he had to arise and go all the way home. A decision is made in a moment; the act of turning takes longer and requires undeviating energy, even as a large ship is turned in the sea. The rudder must be put at an angle, and the ship slowly begins to turn. Once the new course is set, the ship must stay true to that direction.

Illustration

A clear example of turning from evil living to eternal life is found in the Gospel of Luke when Jesus was giving his life on the cross. All four Gospels tell of two criminals who were crucified with Him. One was crucified on his left and the other on his right. While the chief priests and scribes were mocking and reviling Jesus, Matthew and Mark report that the two thieves crucified with Jesus did the same.

Luke gives additional details about one of these men; this man made a complete turnaround. As he beheld Jesus, he began to realize that here was a Man who had done nothing wrong. He was convinced that Jesus loved everyone, even those who had crucified Him. He probably heard Jesus say, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). As he reproved the man on the other cross, he humbly confessed that he was a lost sinner, dying for the sins he had committed. By faith he was convinced that Jesus was the Son of God, and in that faith, he asked Jesus to remember him when He came into his kingdom. “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). He died a saved man.

Questions

1. What does a full commitment to the Lord include?
2. How much personal effort does it take to live a Christian life?
3. What prevalent evils in our day are the most threatening to salvation?
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Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).