Justice

Introduction

A. Who hasn’t heard, thought, or said the immortal words, “It isn’t fair.” We want fairness. We want justice especially when we feel that we haven’t been treated fairly. We make our appeal for justice and fairness to one that we believe can do something about it. The child calls for fairness from parents; the prisoner from a judge; and the disciple from God. In order for justice and fairness to be administered, then a person must be able to be objective. Sometimes parents allow their emotions to be swayed by a good story and their justice ignores the facts. Sometimes judges refuse to look at extenuating circumstances and judge only according to the rule of law and justice with no mercy is meted out. But God is able to be objective and to balance his love and his wrath. He is able to perfectly deal with facts while seeing truth in its completeness and entirety.

B. But at times we are not certain about God’s fairness. This is Israel’s complaint against God in Ezekiel 18. They believe that God is being unfair to them. He is punishing them for things they didn’t do. In fact, he is punishing them for the sins of others. They want an explanation. Ezekiel 18 is a chapter which reveals God’s nature. It is a chapter which tells us about God’s desire toward his creation. It is a chapter which heightens our appreciation for God’s deep love and his justice. Let’s be encouraged.

The Text

A. There is a proverb which is making the rounds among the exiles. It is found in verse 2: “The fathers eat sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge?” In other words, the children are suffering the consequences of the father’s poor choices. The exiles are justifying themselves. We didn’t really sin that much. Certainly not enough to deserve this kind of punishment. Our fathers did. They were detestable but God is punishing us for what our fathers did. This is an indictment against the nature of God. Those in exile are accusing God of being unjust. They are accusing him of being unfair. They are accuse him of letting others off the hook while making the latter generation responsible for the sins of the fathers.

B. So God sets about revealing his true nature. In verse 4, God says succinctly, the soul who sins is the one who will die. In other words, each person is held responsible for their own lives. If they sin, then they die. God then illustrates this principle using three generations. Generation one is righteous. He follows God’s will and obeys his commands. The outcome is found in verse 9: That man is righteous; he will surely live.

C. But this man has a son who has a violent nature. He sheds blood. He ignores the will of God and disobeys God’s commands. God declares in verse 13 that this man will “surely be put to death and his blood will be on his own head.

D. The third generation learns from the sins of the father and rejects the life of disobedience and honors the will of God. The third generation lives righteously following God’s commands. God’s declaration is found in verse 17: He will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live. All of this seems rather straightforward and logical. I wouldn’t expect any of you to die for my sins nor me for yours. But God doesn’t stop there. He goes on to explain that he looks at the totality of life not just brief glimpses.

E. In verse 21 God declares that a person can change. The wicked who gives up his evil ways will be not die. He will live and his evil deeds will not be remembered. Conversely, if a righteous man gives his life over to sin then he will die and his righteous deeds will not be remembered. God then asks, “how am I unjust?” What is the basis of accusing me that I am unfair and capricious in how I judge people? There is no explanation other than Israel is the one with the skewed view of God’s nature and God is totally and completely just in how he deals with people.

Application

A. There are several lessons from this text. First notice verse 4. “Every living soul belongs to me.” The wording here is not designed to center on the nonphysical aspect of the human being, but it focuses on the entire person. The entirety of who we are belongs to God—body and soul. We are not some entity pushed to and fro by the winds of chance. We belong to God. He is Creator and Lord. Our lives are in his hands. We may operate in this world as if God doesn’t exist, but it doesn’t change the reality that God does exist and our lives belong to him.

B. Second, this text teaches us that we stand on our own. We cannot shift responsibility for our own actions and choices to those who raised us and we cannot take responsibility for the choices and actions that our children make. Choices are made. We may raise children but our children make their own choices and they are judged according to the choices they make. In the three generation illustration, God demonstrates that a righteous man’s son chose to go against the will of God and God held the son responsible for his own choices. Conversely, the grandson chose to return to righteousness and God held him responsible for his choices. Don’t blame your parents for your choices. As irresponsible and imperfect as your parents may have been, at some point you choose to go your own direction. And no matter how much your parents tried to teach you right from wrong, we each choose a direction to go.

C. Third, this text teaches us that the past doesn’t define us. In verses 21-24, God illustrates that it is possible for the wicked to change and for the righteous to fall. Some want us to believe that our eternal salvation is predetermined; that it doesn’t matter what we do we have been destined to our eternal glory. God clearly refutes any such view in this text. Our past doesn’t define us nor do our good deeds seal our destiny. Those who once chose wickedness can change and those who once chose righteousness can change as well. To walk with God means there must be consistency and faithfulness. When we change from wickedness to righteousness, God’s promise is that he forgets our past evil deeds. In the same way, if we choose to move toward evil rather than remaining faithful, God forgets our righteous deeds. The past doesn’t define us. We choose the direction we go in life.

D. Fourth, this text tells us something about the heart of God. Look at verse 23. “Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” Some see God as one who finds some kind of joy in punishing those who disobey him. Some see God as some cosmic slavedriver with a whip in his hand waiting to strike at any time. What does God declare about himself? I get no pleasure when the wicked choose to ignore my ways and I must act justly. As you read the rest of the chapter there is one overriding theme. God says to Israel—I have acted justly. You are the ones who are being unfair. You have falsely accused me of injustice when you have failed to admit your own sin. Repent and live! This is what God wants. He wants evil to be repented of and to come back to him. Verse 32 says, “I take no pleasure in the death of anyone.” God wants all to live. He doesn’t want to punish. He doesn’t want any to die. He wants repentance. To change in mind and deed from evil to righteousness.

1.  George Gallup in 1987 wrote, There's little difference in ethical behavior between the churched and the unchurched. There's as much pilferage and dishonesty among the churched as the unchurched. And I'm afraid that applies pretty much across the board: religion, per se, is not really life changing. People cite it as important, for instance, in overcoming depression—but it doesn't have primacy in determining behavior.

2.  In his book I Surrender, Patrick Morley writes that the church's integrity problem is in the misconception "that we can add Christ to our lives, but not subtract sin. It is a change in belief without a change in behavior." He goes on to say, "It is revival without reformation, without repentance."

3.  God is never unfair nor unjust. He wants all to repent and live. Are you listening? Are you following him? Invitation.

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