Ezekiel 18:18-23: a reflection

In the midst of teaching that each person answers for his own sin, God reveals his heart: he takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but desires that they turn and live. Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should return from his way, and live? And more: if the wicked turns from all his sins and does what is right, he shall surely live; none of his transgressions will be remembered against him. God does not delight in the destruction of sinners; his desire is that they turn and live. The door of repentance stands open, and to the one who truly turns, past sins will not be held against him. This shows God's heart: he takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but desires that they turn and live. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked; he desires they turn and live. The door of repentance stands open; the one who turns will live. Past sins will not be held against the one who truly turns. God's desire is not our destruction, but our return and life.

Notice what God reveals about his own heart. In teaching that each person answers for his own sin, God might seem only stern; but he opens his heart to show what he truly desires. Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked? he asks. No, is the clear answer; rather, he desires that the wicked should return from his way and live. God does not delight in the destruction of sinners; his desire is for their repentance and life. And he makes clear the door is open: if the wicked turns from his sins and does what is right, he shall surely live, and none of his past transgressions will be remembered against him. This reveals a God whose heart is for the sinner's return, not his ruin. It is possible to imagine God as eager to condemn, delighting in the destruction of the wicked, waiting to punish. But God himself says otherwise: he takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but desires that they turn and live. The door of repentance stands open; God is not reluctant but eager for the sinner to return; and to the one who truly turns, past sins are not held against him, but he is given life. This is a great encouragement to turn, and to trust God's welcome when we do. However far we have gone, God does not desire our destruction, but our return and life; the door is open, and he receives the one who turns. We do well to turn to God, trusting that he takes no pleasure in our death but desires our return and life. God takes no pleasure in your death, but desires your return and life. The door of repentance stands open; turn, and you will live. God does not hold past sins against the one who truly turns. Trust God's welcome, for his heart is for your return, not your ruin.

That is worth taking to heart, for God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked but desires that they turn and live, and we do well to turn to him, trusting his welcome, as God revealed his heart. We can imagine God eager to condemn; but he says he has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, desiring rather that they return and live. His heart is for your return. However far you have gone, do not imagine God desires your destruction; turn to him, for he takes no pleasure in your death but desires your return and life, and will not hold past sins against you. Turn to God, trusting that he takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked but desires their return and life, for the door of repentance stands open and past sins will not be held against the one who truly turns, as in the midst of teaching that each person answers for his own sin God revealed his heart, that he takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked but desires rather that he should return from his way and live, and that if the wicked turns from all his sins and does what is right he shall surely live and none of his transgressions will be remembered against him; for God does not delight in the destruction of sinners but desires their repentance and life, the door of repentance standing open and past sins not held against the one who truly turns, which reveals a God whose heart is for the sinner's return and not his ruin, since it is possible to imagine God eager to condemn and delighting in the destruction of the wicked, but God himself says otherwise, that he takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked but desires that they turn and live, so that the door of repentance stands open and God is not reluctant but eager for the sinner to return and gives life to the one who turns, which is a great encouragement to turn and trust God's welcome, since however far we have gone God does not desire our destruction but our return and life, and we do well to turn to God trusting that he takes no pleasure in our death but desires our return and life.