“For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!”
Ezekiel 18:32 (NIV)
Jonah knew this truth about God! He even believed it about a city of the enemies of God’s people who were outside of the covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Do we know this truth?
The Word “anyone” means anyone – which means every human life is sacred to God.
2 Peter 3:9 says the same thing; “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come
to repentance.”
to repentance.”
God’s pleasure is in life not in death, He is the author of life- it is the enemy who rejoices in death.
I wonder if we believe that God wants each of the 7.53 billion people of the earth to live. Depending on what system of theology we were brought up in and ascribe our loyalty to – we can have a real problem with my interpretation of these verses. We could say wait a minute John, the 1646 Westminster Confession in Chapter 3 paragraph 3 teaches us; “By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto everlasting life; and others foreordained to everlasting death.” So there is no way that God desires all humans to live.
First of all we should always be careful to allow the text to rule over our system, this takes discipline and effort - second of all I am a baptist and our London Baptist Confession of 1689 in Chapter 3 paragraph 3 teaches us; “By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated, or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus Christ, to the praise of his glorious grace; others being left to act in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of his glorious justice.” Asking you what we believe is not a trap but an invitation to make sure we believe something based on our understanding of God’s Word and not simply following what we were taught about God’s Word - it is part of seeking God’s face to read passages that speak about His desires and pleasures and to ask the Spirit to reveal God.
Many make the mistake of thinking that because every human life is sacred to God that He will not kill humans. This is the great lie of the devil that he whispered to Eve, and has been whispering it ever since - “You will not certainly die.” Ezekiel 18 makes it clear that God will kill the wicked, by comparing 3 generations - a grandfather, a son and a grandson. Our family name will not condemn us nor will it save us, rather what will condemn us is our refusal to repent from our wicked ways, and what will save us is our repentance.
How we live our life in the here and now affects our eternal destination- repent and live!
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