In the book of Ezekiel, we see how the writer was instructed to warn Israel, currently in exile. This was done by the watchman on the wall, who was to bring a warning to the people if there is danger. Let us read Ezekiel 33. Two outcomes are given.
- The watchman is appointed. He sees trouble coming, blows the trumpet, and warns the people. If the people do not heed the warning and are overwhelmed, they are guilty, not the watchman. See verses 2-5.
- The watchman sees trouble coming but does not warn the people, and they are overwhelmed, and the watchman is guilty of their death. See verse 6.
Ezekiel was the watchman who was appointed by the Lord to give His Word to Israel. The wicked must be warned about his actions. If not, Ezekiel himself is guilty if the wicked dies in their sin. See verse 8. If the prophet does warn the people about their wickedness, and they do not listen, they will die in their sin, but the prophet is innocent of their death.
Now follows one of the most important passages in the Bible:
11Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? – Ezekiel 33:11
Just as the Lord did not want to see Israel destroyed in those days and people die in their sin, so He does not want to see people die unsaved today. This means that the responsibility is on the pastor to preach the Word purely and warn the people about their sin. Unfortunately, this is no longer done in our churches. Rather than teaching the consequences of sin, repentance toward Christ, and sanctification so that Christ may be visible in us, people are told how to improve themselves, discover themselves, and live out their unique personalities. Sin is dismissed as something that must be seen “in context” and that the love of God forgives all sin, whether you confess it or not. These pastors do not warn the flock about the consequences of their sin that are coming upon them.
When the pastor's responsibility is no longer relevant
There comes a time when the pastors who only care for themselves are no longer responsible for what happens to the individuals in the flock. The individual member has the responsibility to see that he grows spiritually. You must be able to see for yourself if there is an error in the way you live and see sin. This is where verse 11 applies. God does not want to see that any person is lost, but that he repents of his wrong way. This message is also clearly given in Acts 2:38. Just because the watchman does not warn the flock, it does not give them a free pass to do what they want. God calls you as an individual to also look at your own life and repent of your evil ways. You must take decisive action yourself. On the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out and people saw and heard what had happened, they asked Peter what they should do. His answer was this:
38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.– Acts 2:38
Later, Peter makes the following appeal, extending what he said previously:
19Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. – Acts 3:19
Two words are important here – repent and be converted. μετανοέω is the Greek word metanoeo and it means a change in how you think. ἐπιστρέω is the Greek word epistrephō and it means to turn to or turn back. What Peter is asking here is two actions that will have one result. Change how you think about sin and turn away from it so that your sin can be forgiven.
Let us look at what true repentance is.
- True repentance is more than just words. It is a powerful action to make what has been said a reality.
- True repentance is the transforming work that the Holy Spirit accomplishes in the sinner, a work that changes the person and lasts forever.
- It is a turning away from sin and turning to Jesus Christ who is sinless, a 180-degree turn.
- It is the hatred of sin and the love of righteousness.
- True repentance is a change of heart, not just of intentions.
John the Baptist described it this way:
8Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance. – Matthew 3:8
The change that has taken place inwardly (the growth of the tree) will be outwardly visible (the fruit the tree produces). Most people’s repentance is false because they are looking for a convenient repentance:
- They seek deliverance from sin to feel better, but not repentance from sin to be complete in Christ.
- They seek Jesus, but do not want to take up their cross and follow Him.
- They seek forgiveness from the consequences, but not transformation to pursue a holy life.
- They seek deliverance from hell, but do not want to be controlled by Jesus Christ.
- They seek heaven as a final destination, but not the holy life that is required to enter heaven.
What type of repentance is evident in your life? Do you truly hate sin as God hates it, confess it, and forsake it, or is your repentance simply because you feel guilty about what sin does to your reputation? True repentance is focused on God and how you can serve Him. False repentance focuses on yourself and your comfort.
Conclusion
You will have to make a choice. You cannot love both the world and God. Remember the text we quoted last week:
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. – 1 John 2:15