God’s Pleasure

Ezekiel 18:31-32

“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin.
Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel?
For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live.”

We often hear that good people shouldn’t judge other people, that judging is sinful and ungodly but repeatedly we have God Himself saying,

Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. 1

There is no doubt in the Lᴏʀᴅ recognizing our actions, our ways for what they are or our receiving of the just consequences for our acts. “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” 2 But that God is just, upholds His word by doing according to what He has said is True and Right, does not imply He wants to destroy us for the text also plainly tells us that,

Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin.” 3  

Repent, turn away from sin lest your sin be your ruin’ is God’s plea that we rebels have a change of mind, turn away from our sinful ways and be willing to have relationship with Him only. He continues speaking:

“Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel?” 4  

Why indeed? We decided to sin, it wasn’t an accidental experience, we wanted what we wanted no matter the consequences. Yet the Lᴏʀᴅ wants us to come back into relationship with Him but points out that being in agreement with Him requires the forsaking of our own ways, the having a new heart and new spirit after His. There is no question of His ultimate desire for He concludes this passage with,

“For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live.” 5

I have no pleasure in the death of anyone so turn and live” is as decisive a statement on the desire of God toward anyone who has sinned against Him—the Lᴏʀᴅ does not want anyone to receive the consequences of sin if they would only turn to Him in all their ways and live in His Way. You are eligible, you are welcome, you qualify… if.

FOOTNOTES & LINKS:
1 Ezekiel 18:30a ESV – Blue Letter Bible link
2 Galatians 6:7 ESV – Blue Letter Bible link
3 Ezekiel 18:30b ESV – Blue Letter Bible link
4 Ezekiel 18:31 ESV – Blue Letter Bible link
5 Ezekiel 18:32 ESV – Blue Letter Bible link
All Scripture references from the Blue Letter Bible, ESV
at https://www.blueletterbible.org
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version
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