“¹⁷ Son of man (Ezekiel), I have made you a watchman unto the House of Israel: therefore hear the Word at My (God’s) Mouth, and give them warning from Me.

¹⁸ When I say unto the wicked, you shall surely die; and you give him not warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at your hand.

¹⁹ Yet if you warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.

²⁰ Again, When a righteous man does turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die: because you have not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at your hand.

²¹ Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also you have delivered your soul.” Ezekiel 3:17-21

Many today have an intellectual knowledge of Jesus Christ.  They know Who He is and what He has done on Calvary’s Cross to pay the penalty of sin but they have turned from their righteousness and committed iniquity.  When God’s Children rebels (just as the Israelites rebelled) and they reject His Statutes and His Ways according to His Word, His Mercy rebukes.  God’s rebuke is a warning to turn from our wicked ways.  Regrettably however, not all rebuke is met with repentance.

^“6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. ⁷ If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the Father chastens not?” Hebrews 12:6-7

Salvation is not a mere intellectual nod to the knowledge of Jesus Christ.  The demons also believe but are certainly not saved (James 2:19).  Ezekiel was sent to warn the Israelites to turn from their wicked ways or die in their iniquity.  Mind you, these were Israelites – God’s chosen people; those who once followed God but turned from their righteousness and followed worldly statutes.

Many backslidden Believers need to be warned lest they die in their sin.  Other professing Christians need to be told except a man be born again, born of the Spirit of God…spiritually alive unto God, they will not see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3-5).  Unless a person knows Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour, not just intellectual knowledge…they will not see the Kingdom of God. Satan has deceived many, and used the pulpit to do so, into believing their intellectual knowledge of Jesus will save their soul.

Jesus Christ is alive.  He is sitting at the Right Hand of God making intercession for those who believe upon His atoning work on Calvary’s Cross for their Salvation and their Sanctification.  He authors and finishes the faith of those who look to Him for everything they receive from God.  The blessings of God are “yes” and “amen” unto those who have denied themselves, picked up their cross and chose to follow Jesus Christ.  We may not be perfected but we know in Whom we have believed and our heart’s cry is prepare ye the way of the Lord!

“But God said unto him, you fool, this night your soul shall be required of you: then whose shall those things be, which you have provided?” Luke 12:20

No one knows the hour our soul will be required of us.  If we are backslidden and die in our sin, our righteousness will be remembered no more (Ezekiel 3:20).

Warn them lest their blood be required at your hand.

-Donna Clark Warren