SEV Biblia, Chapter 18:24
Mas si el justo se apartare de su justicia, y cometiere maldad, e hiciere conforme a todas las abominaciones que el impío hizo; ¿vivirá él? Todas las justicias que hizo no vendrán en memoria; por su rebelión con que prevaricó, y por su pecado que cometió, por ellos morirá.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 18:24
Verse 24. When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness] Here is the second case. Can a man who was once holy and pure fall away so as to perish everlastingly? YES. For God says, "If he turn away from his righteousness;" not his self-righteousness, the gloss of theologians: for God never speaks of turning away from that, for, in his eyes, that is a nonentity. There is no righteousness or holiness but what himself infuses into the soul of man, and as to self-righteousness, i.e., a man's supposing himself to be righteous when he has not the life of God in his soul, it is the delusion of a dark and hardened heart; therefore it is the real righteous principle and righteous practice that God speaks of here. And he tells us, that al man may so "turn away from this," and so "commit iniquity," and "act as the wicked man," that his righteousness shall be no more mentioned to his account, than the sins of the penitent backslider should be mentioned to his condemnation; and "in the sin that he" this once righteous man, "hath sinned, and in the trespass that he hath trespassed, in them shall he die." O, how awful a termination of a life once distinguished for righteousness and true holiness! So then, God himself informs us that a righteous man may not only fall foully, but fall finally. But to such righteous persons the devil will ever preach, "Ye shall not surely die; ye shall be as God." Touch, taste, and handle; ye cannot ultimately fall. Thus we find, by the manner of treating these two cases, that God's way is equal, ver. 25; just, merciful, and impartial. And to prove this, he sums up his conduct in the above cases, in the following verses, 26-29. And then, that the "wicked may not die in his sins," and that the "backslider may return and find mercy," he thus exhorts:-
Matthew Henry Commentary
God has no respect of persons. (Ezek. 18:1-20) The Divine providence is vindicated. (Ezek. 18:21-29) A gracious invitation to repentance (Ezek. 18:30-32) Ezek. 18:1-20 The soul that sinneth it shall die. As to eternity, ever man was, is, and will be dealt with, as his conduct shows him to have been under the old covenant of works, or the new covenant of grace Whatever outward sufferings come upon men through the sins of others they deserve for their own sins all they suffer; and the Lord overrule every event for the eternal good of believers. All souls are in the hand of the great Creator: he will deal with them in justice or mercy nor will any perish for the sins of another, who is not in some sens worthy of death for his own. We all have sinned, and our souls must be lost, if God deal with us according to his holy law; but we are invite to come to Christ. If a man who had shown his faith by his works, had wicked son, whose character and conduct were the reverse of his parent's, could it be expected he should escape the Divine vengeance of account of his father's piety? Surely not. And should a wicked man have a son who walked before God as righteous, this man would not perish for his father's sins. If the son was not free from evils in this life still he should be partaker of salvation. The question here is no about the meritorious ground of justification, but about the Lord' dealings with the righteous and the wicked.
Ezek. 18:21-29 The wicked man would be saved, if he turned from his evil ways. The true penitent is a true believer. None of his forme transgressions shall be mentioned unto him, but in the righteousnes which he has done, as the fruit of faith and the effect of conversion he shall surely live. The question is not whether the truly righteou ever become apostates. It is certain that many who for a time wer thought to be righteous, do so, while Ezek. 18:26,27 speaks the fulnes of pardoning mercy: when sin is forgiven, it is blotted out, it is remembered no more. In their righteousness they shall live; not for their righteousness, as if that were an atonement for their sins, but in their righteousness, which is one of the blessings purchased by the Mediator. What encouragement a repenting, returning sinner has to hop for pardon and life according to this promise! In verse 28 is the beginning and progress of repentance. True believers watch and pray and continue to the end, and they are saved. In all our disputes with God, he is in the right, and we are in the wrong.
Ezek. 18:30-32 The Lord will judge each of the Israelites according to his ways. On this is grounded an exhortation to repent, and to make them a new heart and a new spirit. God does not command what cannot be done, but admonishes us to do what is in our power, and to pray for what is not. Ordinances and means are appointed, directions an promises are given, that those who desire this change may seek it from God __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
ובשׁוב 7725 צדיק 6662 מצדקתו 6666 ועשׂה 6213 עול 5766 ככל 3605 התועבות 8441 אשׁר 834 עשׂה 6213 הרשׁע 7563 יעשׂה 6213 וחי 2425 כל 3605 צדקתו 6666 אשׁר 834 עשׂה 6213 לא 3808 תזכרנה 2142 במעלו 4603 אשׁר 834 מעל 4604 ובחטאתו 2403 אשׁר 834 חטא 2398 בם ימות׃ 4191
