Introduction:
1. Ezek. 18:1-4 Man is responsible to God
a. We cannot blame our forefathers
b. Live: fellowship with God, & related blessings
c. Die: separated from God, & consequences
2. Ezekiel convicts man of sin & removes excuses & objections
3. We learn valuable lessons needed today!
a. God created us, we answer to Him
b. Every man is responsible directly to God
c. God is fair, just, & merciful to all men

I. Ezekiel Convicts Man of Sin & Removes Excuses
A. A Just Man Will Live
1. Ezek. 18:5-9 Gives example of just man
B. The Wicked Son of a Just Man Will Die
1. Ezek. 18:10-13 Gives example of wicked son
C. The Just Son of a Wicked Man Will Live
1. Ezek. 18:14-20 Gives example of just son
D. If a Person’s Conduct Changes, Results Change
1. Ezek. 18:21-24 Examples of changed conduct
E. God Is Just, But Men Are Not Fair to God
1. Ezek. 18:25-29 God answers man’s complaint
F. God Appeals to Men to Repent & Live
1. Ezek. 18:30-32 Why die? Repent & live!

II. God Created Us, We Answer to Him
A. God Made Us, We Did Not Make Ourselves
1. Gen. 1:27 “God created man in his own image”
2. Heb. 12:9 “Be in subjection to the Father of spirits”
3. Ezek. 18:4 “Behold, all souls are mine”
B. We Do Not Escape Our Relationship & Responsibility to God by Blaming Other Men
1. Ezek. 18:2 False proverb blamed others
a. Alibi for fornication: I fell in love with this person & could not help myself.
b. Alibi for worldly sins: All my friends do it & they persuaded me.
c. Alibi for forsaking worship: I have to come alone & my mate makes it hard on me.
C. We Cannot Blame God for Our Broken Relationship to Him
1. Ezek. 18:25 False charge blamed God
a. The Bible is too strict, times have changed. False! God’s truth blesses us & has not changed.
b. God made me this way. False! God made us free of sin, but we choose to sin.
c. God made Satan, sin, & temptation too powerful–I cannot resist. False! God’s Word is able
to overcome Satan, but like Eve we listen to Satan not to God. We choose to sin.

III. Every Man Is Responsible Directly to God
A. Man Has Free Will
1. Made in God’s image (Gen. 1:27): able to understand God’s Word & choose to obey or disobey
2. Created pure by God’s hand just as Adam & Eve: Gen. 1:27; Heb. 12:9; Ezek. 18:4
3. Ezek. 18:20 We do not inherit sin–inherited sin nullifies free will!
4. “The soul that sinneth” exercises free will (vs. 20)
5. “But if the wicked will turn from all his sins, …and keep all my statutes” (vs. 21): free will
6. “When a righteous man turned away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity” (vs. 26): free will
B. Each Man’s Faith in God Is Personal, Not by Proxy or Tradition
1. Ezek. 18:5-3 No one lives on another man’s faith & righteousness
a. Vv. 5-9 “If a man be just,…he shall surely live”
b. Vv. 10-13 “If he beget a son that is a robber, …he shall surely die
c. From a good family, church, nation? But you: Do you live by your own biblical faith in God?
C. We Need a New Heart
1. Ezek. 18:31 Replace love of sin with love of God
2. The new heart repents & seeks God’s forgiveness
a. Vv. 23, 32 Seek & find forgiveness
3. God teaches us how to overcome sin
a. Vs. 21 God teaches the penitent sinner
b. With God to teach us, we are NOT helpless victims of Satan, of fate, of our genes,
or of our old sinful habits!
4. We must be faithful to the end
a. Vs. 24 Backsliders will be lost

IV. God Is Fair, Just, & Merciful to All Men
A. God Gives Every Man a Fair Chance
1. Vs. 20 Each man answers for his own deeds
B. God Is Merciful Not Vindictive
1. Vs. 23 His joy is to save not to punish
C. God Will Surely Reward the Righteous
1. The righteous “shall surely live:” vv. 9, 17, 21-23, 27-28, & 32
D. God Will Surely Punish the Wicked
1. The wicked “shall surely die:” vv. 4, 13, 18, 24, & 26
E. God Wants All to be Saved!
1. Vv. 31-32 God pleads for all to repent & live

Invitation
1. The gospel of Christ proclaims same truths now:
a. 2 Cor. 5:10 God created us, we answer to Him
b. Acts 2:38 Everyone has free will & must act upon his own faith to repent & seek God’s forgiveness
c. Acts 8:22 God calls backsliders to repent & seek forgiveness
d. 2 Cor. 6:1-2 God is fair, just, & merciful to all

By Ron Halbrook