◄ Ezekiel 18:26 ►
If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, he will die for this. He will die because of the iniquity he has committed.
Study Bible
If a righteous man turns from his righteousness

Ezekiel’s message rejects the confidence that past obedience can excuse present rebellion. Covenant faithfulness required perseverance, not merely a righteous reputation or earlier acts of obedience. Deliberately turning from God’s way fulfills the warning of Deuteronomy 30:17–18, where a heart turned away from the Lord leads to judgment.

Ezk 3:20 Now if a righteous man turns from his righteousness…
Ezk 33:12 Therefore, son of man, say to your people:…
2Pe 2:20-21 If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world…

and practices iniquity,

Iniquity describes a settled course of conduct that opposes God’s commands. Judah’s sins included idolatry, violence, exploitation of the weak, and profaning what God had made holy. Such rebellion was not a harmless departure from religious custom; it was a rejection of the God who had called His people to reflect His holiness and justice.

Mat 7:23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you;…
Jhn 8:34 Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you,…
1Jn 3:8 The one who practices sin is of the devil,…

he will die for this.

Death stands as God’s righteous judgment upon sin. Ezekiel addresses a generation inclined to blame ancestors, circumstances, or national history for its condition, yet God declares that each person answers for his own response to Him. Sin brings death because it separates people from the source of life, a truth later summarized in Romans 6:23.

Rom 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die;…
Jas 1:15 Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin;…
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God…

He will die because of the iniquity he has committed.

God’s judgment is neither arbitrary nor inherited from another person’s guilt. The righteous person who abandons righteousness bears responsibility for his own chosen rebellion. Yet the surrounding passage also holds out mercy: God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked but calls the sinner to turn and live.

Ezk 33:13 If I tell the righteous man that he will surely live,…
Num 15:31 He shall certainly be cut off, because he has despised…
Pro 11:5 The righteousness of the blameless directs their path,…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet during the Babylonian exile, Ezekiel conveyed God's messages to the Israelites, emphasizing personal responsibility and the consequences of sin.

2. Righteous Man
Represents individuals who live according to God's laws and standards but may choose to turn away from righteousness.

3. Iniquity
Refers to sin or immoral behavior that goes against God's commands.

4. Death
Symbolizes both physical death and spiritual separation from God as a consequence of sin.

5. Israelites
The original audience of Ezekiel's prophecy, who were in exile and needed to understand the importance of personal accountability before God.
Teaching Points
Personal Responsibility
Each individual is accountable for their own actions and choices. Righteousness is not a one-time achievement but a continual commitment to living according to God's will.

The Danger of Complacency
Even those who are righteous can fall into sin if they become complacent. Vigilance and perseverance in faith are necessary to maintain a righteous life.

Repentance and Restoration
While this verse highlights the consequences of turning away from righteousness, the broader context of Ezekiel 18 emphasizes God's desire for repentance and restoration. God is willing to forgive those who turn back to Him.

The Reality of Consequences
Sin has real and serious consequences, both in this life and eternally. Understanding this should motivate believers to pursue holiness and avoid sin.

The Role of Community
Believers are encouraged to support one another in maintaining righteousness, holding each other accountable, and encouraging repentance when necessary.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Ezekiel 18:26 challenge the notion of "once saved, always saved"? What implications does this have for our daily walk with God?

2. In what ways can we guard against turning from righteousness in our own lives? Consider practical steps and spiritual disciplines.

3. How does the concept of personal responsibility in Ezekiel 18:26 relate to the broader biblical account of sin and redemption?

4. Reflect on a time when you or someone you know turned away from righteousness. What were the consequences, and how was restoration achieved?

5. How can the church community play a role in helping individuals maintain their righteousness and avoid the pitfalls of iniquity? Consider specific actions and attitudes that foster accountability and support.
Connections to Other Scriptures
Deuteronomy 30:19-20
This passage emphasizes the choice between life and death, blessing and curse, urging the Israelites to choose life by loving and obeying God.

Romans 6:23
Highlights the wages of sin as death, but contrasts it with the gift of God, which is eternal life through Jesus Christ.

James 1:14-15
Describes the process of temptation leading to sin and ultimately to death, reinforcing the message of personal responsibility.

Hebrews 10:26-27
Warns against willful sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, echoing the consequences of turning away from righteousness.
Sermons
Moral Transformations and Their ConsequencesW. Jones Ezekiel 18:21-29
The Path to LifeJ.D. Davies Ezekiel 18:25-32
People
Ezekiel
Places
Babylon
Topics
Commits, Committed, Committeth, Death, Die, Dies, Dieth, Dying, Evil, Iniquity, Overtake, Perversity, Practiseth, Righteous, Righteousness, Sin, Therefor, Therein, Turneth, Turning, Turns, Upright, Wrong
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ezekiel 18:1-32

     6026   sin, judgment on
     6206   offence

Ezekiel 18:20-31

     6139   deadness, spiritual

Ezekiel 18:24-26

     8707   apostasy, personal

Ezekiel 18:25-32

     1075   God, justice of

Library
Sins of Parents visited
Eversley. 19th Sunday after Trinity, 1868. Ezekiel xviii. 1-4. "The word of the Lord came unto me again, saying, What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall …
Charles Kingsley—All Saints' Day and Other Sermons

God's Curse on Sin.
"Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord God. Repent and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin."--EZEKIEL xviii. 30. These words of Ezekiel may be understood as expressing in the prophet's language what the Book of Deuteronomy expresses in such denunciations as those which were read to us the other day in the Commination Service. They correspond also to the warning of St. Paul when he says--"Be not …
John Percival—Sermons at Rugby

Divine Impartiality Considered.
"For there is no respect of persons with God." The divine impartiality is often asserted in the holy scriptures; and the assertion coincides with our natural ideas of deity. The pagans indeed attributed to their Gods, the vices, follies and weaknesses of men! But the beings whom they adored were mostly taken from among men, and might be considered as retaining human imperfections,--Had unbiased reason been consulted to find out a supreme being, a different object would have been exhibited to view. …
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects

True Repentance
EZEKIEL xviii. 27. When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness which he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. We hear a great deal about repentance, and how necessary it is for a man to repent of his sins; for unless a man repent, he cannot be forgiven. But do we all of us really know what repentance means? I sometimes fear not. I sometimes fear, that though this text stands at the opening of the Church service, and though people hear it …
Charles Kingsley—The Good News of God

Of the Examination of Conscience, and Purpose of Amendment
The Voice of the Beloved Above all things the priest of God must draw nigh, with all humility of heart and supplicating reverence, with full faith and pious desire for the honour of God, to celebrate, minister, and receive this Sacrament. Diligently examine thy conscience and with all thy might with true contrition and humble confession cleanse and purify it, so that thou mayest feel no burden, nor know anything which bringeth thee remorse and impedeth thy free approach. Have displeasure against …
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

The Theology of Grace.
The theology which Augustin opposed, in his anti-Pelagian writings, to the errors of Pelagianism, is, shortly, the theology of grace. Its roots were planted deeply in his own experience, and in the teachings of Scripture, especially of that apostle whom he delights to call "the great preacher of grace," and to follow whom, in his measure, was his greatest desire. The grace of God in Jesus Christ, conveyed to us by the Holy Spirit and evidenced by the love that He sheds abroad in our hearts, is the …
St. Augustine—Anti-Pelagian Writings

The Abbots Euroul and Loumon.
To the examples already given in the previous biographies, of the power which religion exercised over the rough and savage mind, we may add the following. The abbot Ebrolf (Euroul) had settled with his monks in a thick forest, infested by wild beasts and robbers. One of the robbers came to them, and, struck with reverence at their aspect, said to them: "Ye have chosen no fit dwelling for you here. The inhabitants of this forest live by plunder, and will not tolerate any one amongst them who maintains …
Augustus Neander—Light in the Dark Places

A Startling Statement
TEXT: "The wicked shall not be unpunished."--Prov. 11:21. There are very many passages of Scripture which ought to be read in connection with this text; as for example, "Fools make a mock at sin" (Proverbs 14:9), for only a fool would. Better trifle with the pestilence and expose one's self to the plague than to discount the blighting effects of sin. And, again, "The soul that sinneth it shall die" (Ezekiel 18:4). From this clear statement of the word of God there is no escape. Or, again, "Our …
J. Wilbur Chapman—And Judas Iscariot

General Character of Christians.
"And they that are Christ's have crucified the Flesh, with the Affections and Lusts." St. Paul is supposed to have been the first herald of gospel grace to the Galatians; and they appear to have rejoiced at the glad tidings, and to have received the bearer with much respect. But after his departure, certain judaizing teachers went among them, and labored but too successfully, to alienate their affections from him, and turn them form the simplicity of the gospel. The malice and errors of those deceitful …
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects

The Wicked Husbandmen.
"Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: and when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto …
William Arnot—The Parables of Our Lord

The Same Necessary and Eternal Different Relations
that different things bear one to another, and the same consequent fitness or unfitness of the application of different things or different relations one to another, with regard to which the will of God always and necessarily does determine itself, to choose to act only what is agreeable to justice, equity, goodness, and truth, in order to the welfare of the whole universe, ought likewise constantly to determine the wills of all subordinate rational beings, to govern all their actions by the same …
Samuel Clarke—A Discourse Concerning the Being and Attributes of God

Some Man Will Say, "So Then any Thief Whatever is to be Accounted Equal...
19. Some man will say, "So then any thief whatever is to be accounted equal with that thief who steals with will of mercy?" Who would say this? But of these two it does not follow that any is good, because one is worse. He is worse who steals through coveting, than he who steals through pity: but if all theft be sin, from all theft we must abstain. For who can say that people may sin, even though one sin be damnable, another venial? but now we are asking, if a man shall do this or that, who will …
St. Augustine—Against Lying

"He is the Rock, his Work is Perfect, for all his Ways are Judgment, a God of Truth, and Without Iniquity, Just and Right is He.
Deut. xxxii. 4, 5.--"He is the Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are judgment, a God of truth, and without iniquity, just and right is he. They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children," &c. There are none can behold their own vileness as it is, but in the sight of God's glorious holiness. Sin is darkness, and neither sees itself, nor any thing else, therefore must his light shine to discover this darkness. If we abide within ourselves, and men like ourselves, …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Jesus, My Rock.
When the storm and the tempest are raging around me, Oh! where shall I flee to be safe from their shock? There are walls which no mortal hands built to surround me, A Refuge Eternal,--'Tis JESUS MY ROCK! When my heart is all sorrow, and trials aggrieve me, To whom can I safely my secrets unlock? No bosom (save one) has the power to relieve me, The bosom which bled for me, JESUS MY ROCK! When Life's gloomy curtain, at last, shall close o'er me, And the chill hand of death unexpectedly knock, I will …
John Ross Macduff—The Cities of Refuge: or, The Name of Jesus

And for Your Fearlessness against them Hold this Sure Sign -- Whenever There Is...
43. And for your fearlessness against them hold this sure sign--whenever there is any apparition, be not prostrate with fear, but whatsoever it be, first boldly ask, Who art thou? And from whence comest thou? And if it should be a vision of holy ones they will assure you, and change your fear into joy. But if the vision should be from the devil, immediately it becomes feeble, beholding your firm purpose of mind. For merely to ask, Who art thou [1083] ? and whence comest thou? is a proof of coolness. …
Athanasius—Select Works and Letters or Athanasius

Meditations against Despair, or Doubting of God's Mercy.
It is found by continual experience, that near the time of death, when the children of God are weakest, then Satan makes the greatest nourish of his strength, and assails them with his strongest temptations. For he knows that either he must now or never prevail; for if their souls once go to heaven, he shall never vex nor trouble them any more. And therefore he will now bestir himself as much as he can, and labour to set before their eyes all the gross sins which ever they committed, and the judgments …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Concerning the Condition of Man in the Fall.
Concerning the Condition of Man in the Fall. [182] All Adam's posterity, or mankind, both Jews and Gentiles, as to the first Adam, or earthly man, is fallen, degenerated, and dead; deprived of the sensation or feeling of this inward testimony or seed of God; and is subject unto the power, nature, and seed of the serpent, which he soweth in men's hearts, while they abide in this natural and corrupted estate; from whence it comes, that not only their words and deeds, but all their imaginations, are …
Robert Barclay—Theses Theologicae and An Apology for the True Christian Divinity

"But we are all as an Unclean Thing, and all Our Righteousnesses are as Filthy Rags,"
Isaiah lxiv 6, 7.--"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags," &c. This people's condition agreeth well with ours, though the Lord's dealing be very different. The confessory part of this prayer belongeth to us now; and strange it is, that there is such odds of the Lord's dispensations, when there is no difference in our conditions; always we know not how soon the complaint may be ours also. This prayer was prayed long before the judgment and captivity came …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Repentance and Restitution.
"God commandeth all men everywhere to repent."--Acts xvii. 30. Repentance is one of the fundamental doctrines of the Bible. Yet I believe it is one of those truths that many people little understand at the present day. There are more people to-day in the mist and darkness about Repentance, Regeneration, the Atonement, and such-like fundamental truths, than perhaps on any other doctrines. Yet from our earliest years we have heard about them. If I were to ask for a definition of Repentance, a great …
Dwight L. Moody—The Way to God and How to Find It

Perseverance Proved.
2. I REMARK, that God is able to preserve and keep the true saints from apostacy, in consistency with their liberty: 2 Tim. i. 12: "For the which cause I also suffer these things; nevertheless, I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." Here the apostle expresses the fullest confidence in the ability of Christ to keep him: and indeed, as has been said, it is most manifest that the apostles expected …
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

Sanctification.
I. I will remind you of some points that have been settled in this course of study. 1. The true intent and meaning of the law of God has been, as I trust, ascertained in the lectures on moral government. Let this point if need be, be examined by reference to those lectures. 2. We have also seen, in those lectures, what is not, and what is implied in entire obedience to the moral law. 3. In those lectures, and also in the lectures on justification and repentance, it has been shown that nothing is …
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

Letter ii (A. D. 1126) to the Monk Adam
To the Monk Adam [3] 1. If you remain yet in that spirit of charity which I either knew or believed to be with you formerly, you would certainly feel the condemnation with which charity must regard the scandal which you have given to the weak. For charity would not offend charity, nor scorn when it feels itself offended. For it cannot deny itself, nor be divided against itself. Its function is rather to draw together things divided; and it is far from dividing those that are joined. Now, if that …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

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