Each One’s Accountability for Sin

Ezekiel 18:1-18

1 The word of the LORD came to me again, saying, 2 "What do you mean when you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying:
'The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
And the children's teeth are set on edge'?

3 "As I live," says the Lord GOD, "you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel.

4 "Behold, all souls are Mine;
The soul of the father
As well as the soul of the son is Mine;
The soul who sins shall die.

5 But if a man is just
And does what is lawful and right;
6 If he has not eaten on the mountains,
Nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
Nor defiled his neighbor's wife,
Nor approached a woman during her impurity;

7 If he has not oppressed anyone,
But has restored to the debtor his pledge;
Has robbed no one by violence,
But has given his bread to the hungry
And covered the naked with clothing;
8 If he has not exacted usury
Nor taken any increase,
But has withdrawn his hand from iniquity
And executed true judgment between man and man;

9 If he has walked in My statutes
And kept My judgments faithfully—
He is just;
He shall surely live!"
Says the Lord GOD.

10 "If he begets a son who is a robber
Or a shedder of blood,
Who does any of these things
11 And does none of those duties,
But has eaten on the mountains
Or defiled his neighbor's wife;

12 If he has oppressed the poor and needy,
Robbed by violence,
Not restored the pledge,
Lifted his eyes to the idols,
Or committed abomination;

13 If he has exacted usury
Or taken increase—
Shall he then live?
He shall not live!
If he has done any of these abominations,
He shall surely die;
His blood shall be upon him.

14 "If, however, he begets a son
Who sees all the sins which his father has done,
And considers but does not do likewise;

15 Who has not eaten on the mountains,
Nor lifted his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
Nor defiled his neighbor's wife;
16 Has not oppressed anyone,
Nor withheld a pledge,
Nor robbed by violence,
But has given his bread to the hungry
And covered the naked with clothing;
17 Who has withdrawn his hand from the poor
And not received usury or increase,

But has executed My judgments
And walked in My statutes—
He shall not die for the iniquity of his father;
He shall surely live!

18 "As for his father,
Because he cruelly oppressed,
Robbed his brother by violence,
And did what is not good among his people,
Behold, he shall die for his iniquity.

Yes, each and every person is accountable for their own sin and answers to God.  The only exception is the sin nature inherited from Adam; we are all guilty and worthy of judgment without an eternal deliverance of atonement which was accomplished by Christ to be counted to us as righteousness by His work.  All sins we commit that we are not born with as our fallen inheritance are individually reckoned to us as the outworking of that utterly corrupt nature.  No person is born good (Romans 3:20, 23) and we all continue to add sins as Israel did here.  The souls who sins shall die as it is written here in verse 4 for us to take to heart, as Romans 6:23 makes clear there is no escape for anyone from judgment and death because of our sin inherited and committed personally.  Hebrews 9:27-28 explains how we all are certain to face that judgment when we die; there is no second chance to be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ after that, no fantasy of a Purgatory to be prayed out of or paid head by good works which always fall short of God’s standards of His perfect glory.  As written here, if anyone could keep all God’s word perfectly and not fail to do these things, that one would surely live and not be judged, but it also spells out that failing to do these things earns death.  Since none can do all the Law of God’s word (James 2:10), we all are born in sin under judgment and live to fall short in our sins.  Galatians 3:10-11 show us that only by faith in God’s work is there hope (John 6:29) for us.  One thing clear from this page is that we are not accountable for our parents’ sins but our own alone.  Our sin inherited is still unaccounted for by these words to Ezekiel, however, as they do not take that into account.  That is why this only speaks for accountability of our own sins which we now know are born out of a fallen sinful nature which we all after born with and that will condemn us to a certain judgment if not covered by the atoning death of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ who took our sins and sin nature on Himself who was sinless to satisfy the wrath of God on our sin.  May each new year be in Christ with hope for tomorrow and into eternity!