A lot of things have happened since August 28, but I am trying to get back on track today. You can read Part 1 and Part 2 if you haven’t.

I am going to keep these shorter. Today I just want to talk about Ezekiel 18:20-30. Here’s verses 20b to 24. Verses 25-30 just repeat the points made in 20-24:

“The righteousness of the righteous shall be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him. But if the wicked turns from all his sins that he has committed, and keeps all my statutes, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live. He shall not die. None of his transgressions that he has committed will be remembered against him. In his righteousness that he has done, he shall live. Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” says the Lord Yahweh; “and not rather that he should return from his way, and live. But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, should he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done will be remembered. In his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them he shall die.

There are only 3 relatively complete passages on the final judgment, at least on the topic of how we humans will be judged. Ezekiel 18:20-30, Matthew 25:31-46 (“the judgment of the sheep and the goats), and Revelation 20:10-15 (the Great White Throne judgment). Tell me in the comments if you know of any other.

In all of them the judgment is simple. Some people are righteous, and they will live, and some are wicked, and the will die. Matthew 25:31-46 makes it clear that life and that death are permanent (eternal).

We like to think that Jesus changed that when he died, but he didn’t. Jesus did not change God nor the judgment. Instead, Jesus died to change us. This is why Paul talks about the final judgment in very similar words to Ezekiel:

Therefore you are without excuse, O man, whoever you are who judge. For in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge practice the same things. We know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. Do you think this, O man who judges those who practice such things, and do the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But according to your hardness and unrepentant heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath, revelation, and of the righteous judgment of God; who will pay back to everyone according to their works: to those who by perseverance in well-doing seek for glory, honor, and incorruptibility, eternal life; but to those who are self-seeking, and don’t obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, will be wrath, indignation, oppression, and anguish on every soul of man who does evil, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. (Rom. 2:1-9)

Don’t be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let’s not be weary in doing good, for we will reap in due season, if we don’t give up. (Galatians 6:7-9)

Romans 2:1-9 does not sound any different than Ezekiel 18:20-30. Galatians 6:7-9 only sounds different in the sense that it takes into account that Christians have been given the Spirit to help them “not be weary in doing good.” Of course, Paul goes on to explain the gifts we have obtained through Jesus death to equip us to do good, most notably the Holy Spirit, but also God’s favor (grace).

I think I’ll just end there and keep this short and simple.