Ezekiel 18: To Each His Own

When I served as an associate pastor, there was one particular hypothetical question that really bothered the Bible study gang.  "Suppose Adolf Hitler - right before he died - repented and became a Christian.  Would he go to heaven?  And what if someone who has led a long and saintly life like Billy Graham commits a single sin and dies before he has the opportunity to repent?  Would he go to hell?"

It caused no small amount of consternation that the senior pastor would reply to these suppositions by answering, "Yes."  The crowd would really get lathered up by that - not so much about the grace shown to Hitler, but more about the apparent unfairness to Graham.  I can't remember if any scripture was actually cited to support the senior pastor's response, but Ezekiel 18 certainly could have been referenced.

The main thrust of this chapter is that God will hold each person accountable for his or her own sins.  No longer will people be able to make the excuse that they are suffering for their parents' sin, or claim the mantle of salvation through their ancestors' righteousness.  Ezekiel goes to great pains to demonstrate this, even drawing the picture of a family with a holy grandfather, sinful father, and righteous son (vs. 5-18).  Each man benefits - or suffers - according to his own actions.

Ezekiel then goes on to talk about repentance and backsliding in a similar way.  It, too, affects God's judgment on that person's life.  "But if the wicked turn away from all their sins that they have committed and keep all my statutes and do what is lawful and right, they shall surely live; they shall not die" (vs. 21).  Likewise, "when the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity and do the same abominable things that the wicked do, shall they live? None of the righteous deeds that they have done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which they are guilty and the sin they have committed, they shall die" (vs 24).  Thus the answer to the Adolf Hitler/Billy Graham question.

This is actually quite merciful of God.  It has always been true that sin offends God and will be judged accordingly.  But now God is opening up the avenue of forgiveness, hinting at the wonders of His grace which are poured out upon those who repent and seek after Him.  The opportunity to make a fresh start, a new beginning, a second birth is here.  The emphasis isn't placed on judgment but on salvation.  God does not desire to be vengeful and punishing.  Instead, as He says, "Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord God, and not rather that they should turn from their ways and live?" (vs. 23)

So before you accuse God of being unfair, remember that the judgment is His alone.  We aren't qualified to sit in that seat and make those determinations.  Only God, in His infinite wisdom and grace, is capable of that.  

One take away from this chapter should be the reminder that we need to be responsible for our own relationship with God.  No longer can we "coast" on the faith of parents or grandparents, nor can we excuse ourselves and blame God if we grew up lacking spiritual role models.  

*By the way, regarding the Billy Graham scenario as proposed above, we must remember that this question is purely hypothetical.  In actual practice, I seriously doubt that God would not, in His grace, ensure that His erring saints are offered a chance to repent before death.