Ezekiel 18:23 (NRSVue) - Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord God, and not rather that they should turn from their ways and live?
Ezekiel 18 speaks of individual retribution.
A common belief at the time was that punishment for sin would be passed on to ensuing generations.
The prophet declares that this is not so.
A child will not be punished by God for the sins of his parent.
Neither will a parent be punished by God for the sins of his child.
Those who do not turn away from their sin and repent will die.
But this is not what God desires.
What God wants is for the sinner to change his ways, repent and live.
Paul discusses this in his letter to the Romans.
Romans 6:23 (NRSVue) - The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God is not vindictive.
He created us in His image.
It is only logical that God would wish to save us.
And God did just that through Jesus.
So. if God is willing to forgive us, shouldn’t we be willing to forgive each other?
Through Christ, God teaches us how to forgive.
He also teaches us to love.
When it comes down to it, each of us has sinned.
On our own, each of us comes up short.
But by God’s grace and mercy we have been set free.
If God can forgive so much, shouldn’t we forgive what is little by comparison.
We can let go of the desire for individual retribution.
And. we can be happy for those who come to know Him through Christ.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com on Friday, April 26, 2024.
I will be back here on Friday, May 3, 2024
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