Eternal Life (Part 5 Problematic Texts Ezekiel 3:16-23)

Ezekiel 3:16-23

16 At the end of seven days the word of the LORD came to me: 17 "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 18 When I say to a wicked man, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for [a] his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 19 But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself.
20 "Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die. Since you did not warn him, he will die for his sin. The righteous things he did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 21 But if you do warn the righteous man not to sin and he does not sin, he will surely live because he took warning, and you will have saved yourself."

22 The hand of the LORD was upon me there, and he said to me, "Get up and go out to the plain, and there I will speak to you." 23 So I got up and went out to the plain. And the glory of the LORD was standing there, like the glory I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown. (NIV)


This is another “problematic” passage for some. This writer suggests a slow, careful reading of this passage. Then one can note that:

The message is to the house of Israel, NOT New Testament Christians.

The “righteousness” of the “righteous man” does NOT refer to a Christian, rather to a citizen of Israel who is in good standing by practicing the Mosaic Law.

There is NO reference to the salvation of a soul, or the loss of a soul.

The only salvation spoken of here is for the wicked to “save his life”.

The only penalty spoken of here is NOT eternal damnation, nor the loss of a soul, but rather (and only) physical execution because of a specific sin.

John R. Rice commenting on this passage admits,

We preachers have spiritualized this passage and made it mean what it does not say. The righteousness mentioned is not the righteousness of Christ, but the self righteousness of a [Jewish man] under the law. The [Jewish man] who never committed a murder, adultery, nor any other major crime, would yet, if he turned from his righteous way and committed such a crime, be taken out and stoned; that is, he should die [for] his sin. This passage clearly has no reference to a saved person becoming lost. (John R. Rice, Can a Saved Man Ever Be Lost? Sword of the Lord, 19?? pp. 6, 7.)

We 'laymen' also, must be careful not to spiritualize away the plain meaning of the Bible, trying to make it mean what it does not say!

There may be other problematic texts on this topic, but the two we have covered are the most common stumbling blocks. My hope is that the reader has been strengthened in conviction that nothing can separate God’s blood-bought children from His love (Rom. 8:31-39; John 10:25-30). This fact is essential to spiritual growth and effectiveness in witnessing (see Heb. 6:1-3; 11-12). “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline…” (2Tim. 1:7). Therefore we can “...speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly” (Phil. 1:14).

It is true that we are unworthy of His love gift, and with this in mind, we should rejoice in Him all the more, spend quality time with Him all the more, and go out and serve Him all the more. Then we can continue to grow in the knowledge and grace of His Word. What a blessed assurance that He promised, “...I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Heb. 13:5). And of His saving character the Bible says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Heb. 13:8). “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (cf. Matt. 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33) Rest in His Word. “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2Tim. 2:15).

Other passages to study on the topic of eternal life:

Luke 15:11-32; observe that the wayward son was always a son.

Luke 7; observe that even the greatest prophet of all time had doubts.

2Tim. 1:8-9; note especially who did the saving and why He did it.

1Pet. 1:1-5; note who gave new life and the means by which it was given.

“I have heard of being born again, but never of being born again and again and again. I discover no trace of it in the Word of God.” (Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon at His Best Baker Book House Company, 1990, p. 186)

“As for that sandy gospel which lets you fall away and then come back again, it is the most wicked falsehood on earth.” (Ibid Pg. 184)

Be strengthened!