👉🏼 (Reading: Ezekiel 18:20-25)
📜 "But when a righteous person turns awayfom his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die"
Ezekiel 18:24 (ES).
📋 In today's text, the Prophet Ezekiel outlines a vital principle on how God deals with people with regard to sin and righteousness. God does not remember our sins after forgiving them and neither does he remember our good deeds after we stop being righteous people.
When we stop living in God's will, we should never be deceived that the previous good things we did still count. We are to live righteous lives to the end. The Apostle Paul described people who turn away from the faith as foolish. He said to the Galatians "You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you.
A little leaven leavens the whole lump" Galatians 5:7-9 (ESV). A little sin destroys the big good that we have done. In the same way, when we have served God faithfully but become complacent and begin to live recklessly, our new behaviour which is faithless, destroys our old good record. God wants us to love him to the end.
We are to remain God's children forever. Be careful not to shrink back in doing what is right.
🔑 Key Lesson: God expects consistency in righteous living.
🛐 Meditation and Prayer: Lord, help me to live righteously to the end.
📚 Further Reading: Hebrews 10:38.
◼️ The Bible in One Year: Deuteronomy 28-29.