Ezekiel 18:10-17: a reflection

10“If he fathers a son who is a robber who sheds blood, and who does any one of these things, 11or who does not do any of those things but has eaten at the mountain shrines and defiled his neighbor’s wife, 12has wronged the poor and needy, has taken by robbery, has not restored the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has committed abomination, 13has lent with interest, and has taken increase from the poor, shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations. He shall surely die. His blood will be on him. 14“Now, behold, if he fathers a son who sees all his father’s sins which he has done, and fears, and doesn’t do likewise, 15who hasn’t eaten on the mountains, hasn’t lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hasn’t defiled his neighbor’s wife, 16hasn’t wronged any, hasn’t taken anything to pledge, hasn’t taken by robbery, but has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment; 17who has withdrawn his hand from the poor, who hasn’t received interest or increase, has executed my ordinances, has walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father. He shall surely live.

God declares that a person is not bound to repeat the sins of those before him: the son who sees his father's wrongs, fears God, and does not do likewise will live, being responsible for his own life and not condemned by his father's sin. If a man fathers a son who sees all his father's sins which he has done, and fears, and doesn't do likewise, God says, but does what is right, he shall not die for the iniquity of his father. He shall surely live. God pictures a son born into a family marked by his father's wrongdoing. But this son sees his father's sins, and rather than following in them, fears God and turns from them, doing what is right instead. And God declares that this son will not be condemned for his father's sins; he answers for his own life, and having done right, he will live. A bad heritage need not determine us; we can see the wrong and turn from it. This shows that we are not bound to repeat the sins of those before us, but can turn and do right. You are not bound to repeat the sins of those before you. See the wrong of a bad pattern, and turn from it. Each is responsible for his own life, not condemned by another's sin. A bad heritage need not determine you; you can choose to do right.

Notice the freedom God declares here. He pictures a son born into a bad situation, whose father was a wrongdoer, marked by sin. It might seem such a son was doomed to repeat his father's ways, bound by his heritage, condemned by the sins of the one before him. But God declares otherwise. If this son sees his father's sins, and, rather than following them, fears God and turns from them, doing what is right, then he will not die for his father's iniquity; he will live. He is responsible for his own life, not bound by his father's sin; and having chosen to do right rather than repeat the wrong, he will live. This holds a real encouragement and a real responsibility. The encouragement: we are not bound to repeat the sins and patterns of those who came before us, our parents, our family, our background. However marked by wrong our heritage may be, we can see that wrong, turn from it, fear God, and do right instead; we are not condemned or determined by the sins of others before us. A bad pattern or heritage need not be our destiny. And the responsibility: each of us answers for his own life, his own choices, whether we follow the wrong we have seen or turn from it. We cannot blame our heritage for our own sin, nor are we doomed by it; we are free and responsible to see the wrong and turn from it, doing right. We do well to see the wrong of any bad pattern or heritage and turn from it, choosing to do right, knowing we are not bound to repeat it. You are not bound to repeat the sins of those before you; see the wrong and turn from it. Each answers for his own life; a bad heritage need not be your destiny. You can choose to fear God and do right, whatever the pattern before you. Do not blame your heritage; you are free and responsible to do right.

That is worth taking to heart, for we are not bound to repeat the sins of those before us but can see the wrong and turn from it, as God declares the son who does not follow his father's sins will live. We can feel doomed to repeat a bad pattern or heritage; but God says the son who sees his father's wrong and turns from it, doing right, will live. You are not bound. Do not think yourself doomed to repeat the sins of those before you; see the wrong, fear God, and turn from it, doing right, for you are free and responsible for your own life. See the wrong of any bad pattern or heritage before you and turn from it, doing what is right, knowing you are not bound to repeat the sins of those before you but are responsible for your own life, as God declares that a person is not bound to repeat the sins of those before him, since the son who sees his father's wrongs, fears God, and does not do likewise will live, saying that such a son will not die for the iniquity of his father but shall surely live; for God pictures a son born into a family marked by his father's wrongdoing, but this son sees his father's sins and rather than following them fears God and turns from them and does what is right, so that God declares he will not be condemned for his father's sins but answers for his own life and having done right will live, a bad heritage not determining us since we can see the wrong and turn from it, which holds a real encouragement and responsibility, the encouragement that we are not bound to repeat the sins and patterns of those before us, our parents, family, and background, however marked by wrong our heritage may be, but can see that wrong and turn from it and do right and are not condemned or determined by the sins of others, and the responsibility that each answers for his own life and choices whether we follow the wrong we have seen or turn from it, so that we cannot blame our heritage for our own sin nor are doomed by it but are free and responsible to see the wrong and turn from it, and we do well to do so.

Lord, you declare that a person is not bound to repeat the sins of those before him: the son who sees his father's wrongs, fears you, and does not do likewise will live, being responsible for his own life and not condemned by his father's sin. If a man fathers a son who sees all his father's sins which he has done, and fears, and doesn't do likewise, you say, but does what is right, he shall not die for the iniquity of his father. He shall surely live. You picture a son born into a family marked by his father's wrongdoing. But this son sees his father's sins, and rather than following in them, fears you and turns from them, doing what is right instead. And you declare that this son will not be condemned for his father's sins; he answers for his own life, and having done right, he will live. A bad heritage need not determine us; we can see the wrong and turn from it. Show me the freedom you declare here. You picture a son born into a bad situation, whose father was a wrongdoer. It might seem such a son was doomed to repeat his father's ways, condemned by the sins of the one before him. But you declare otherwise. If this son sees his father's sins, and, rather than following them, fears you and turns from them, doing what is right, then he will not die for his father's iniquity; he will live. This holds a real encouragement and responsibility. The encouragement: I am not bound to repeat the sins and patterns of those who came before me, my parents, my family, my background. However marked by wrong my heritage may be, I can see that wrong, turn from it, fear you, and do right instead; I am not condemned or determined by the sins of others before me. A bad pattern need not be my destiny. And the responsibility: I answer for my own life and choices, whether I follow the wrong I have seen or turn from it. I cannot blame my heritage for my own sin, nor am I doomed by it. Take that to my heart. Keep me from thinking myself doomed to repeat the sins of those before me; help me see the wrong of any bad pattern or heritage, Lord, fear you, and turn from it, doing what is right, knowing I am free and responsible for my own life, not bound to repeat the sins of those before me.