CHANGING COURSE (PART 2)

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

“But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all My decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live.”

“Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?”

Ezekiel 18:21-23

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

In yesterday’s first devotion in this three devotion series on changing course, we found the Lord exhorting us through His word to not repeat the sins of our parents but rather turn to Him and His righteousness so to ward off wickedness and the judgment it brings.

In today’s devotion, we find the Lord giving us another example of how we can change course in a positive way, providing hope to us all because we are all sinners who have erred in plain sight of Him. Look again at His words here:

“But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all My decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live.”

“Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?”  Ezekiel 18:21-23

Note what is at the center of this example God is providing. It’s the matter of repentance. Consider the word’s definition:

To turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life.

Isn’t that what God is saying the person should do? To turn away from their sins, from the offenses they were committing? To change course and adopt a new way of living?

It is and He not only expects us to turn away from wickedness but eradicate it all together from our lives.

So what do we replace it with?

He tells us that too so there is no doubt what we are to do. We are to:

1. Keep all His decrees.

There’s no need to wonder what God wants us to do. He told us in His word. All we need to do is read it and be obedient to what He calls us to do.

2. Do what is right and just.

If we are to keep God’s decrees, we need to know what they are and we find them in the word of God. But it’s not enough to just know what He wants us to do. We have to make sure our actions show that we know and that comes through the way we live every day. When we adopt the Lord’s righteousness into the way we live by applying His word to what we do, then we can ensure that we will be doing what is right and just because we will be carrying out the Lord’s will and way which is always right and just.

Did you catch what happens when we do these things, when we turn away from sin and change course toward keeping God’s decrees and doing what is right and just?

We will surely live and not die. None of our offenses will be remembered against us.

Now, you might ask, how can this happen? How can I live and not die, completely pardoned from my sins?

It happens through God’s only Son Jesus, the One He sent to die in our place, the One He decreed to be our Savior, the One who lived the only life that was ever perfectly right and just and obedient to the Father so we could follow His example and do likewise. God Himself confesses that He doesn’t really take pleasure in the death of the wicked but rather rejoices when anyone turns from their transgressions and chooses life through Him and His Son.

You see, when we accept Jesus as Savior, everything changes and for the better in a big way. It’s the first real step we must take to change course and step off the wide path of destruction onto the narrow path that leads to life, now and forever. I’ll close with three scripture passages that affirm these truths:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7:13-14

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

Amen

In Christ,

Mark
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