The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child.


Ezekiel 18:20-23


20 The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.
21 “But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. 22 None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live. 23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?








Today’s title is “No one shares Guilt”


Sin is the most critical issue of man. God abhors sin. Sinners must pay for what they have done. No sinner can escape from God’s punishment. God is sharpening His sword of righteousness against sinners. We have seen God bringing great judgment on sinners throughout the history of Israel. So should we fear God’s wrath on us too? I think we do to a certain extent. Certainly, fear of God is the beginning of knowledge. But we should never misunderstand God’s mind despite His fearsome judgment. What God really wants for us is to be saved and be blessed. He is willing to forgive heinous sinners if only they repent and turn to God again. He makes sure that not even one righteous man falls under judgment. He didn’t leave Lot and his daughters in Sodom and Gomora under judgment. He saved them from the fire and brimstone. God never punishes children for the sin of their parents or vice versa. Children of many vicious kings in the history of Israel were greatly blessed when they turned from the evils of their forefathers. One such example is King Hezekiah. He became one of the most righteous kings of Judah even though his father Ahaz was one of the evilest kings. Israel at the time of prophet Ezekiel was so evil that God decided to bring judgment on them. That was the background of today’s passage. But God says that the child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The point is that no righteous one will be punished for someone else’s sin. What is this act of God telling us to do? It tells us to keep our devotion to God even though it seems that everybody goes against God. It tells us to completely trust in the Lord when it seems that the whole world disregards the gospel of salvation. God know s that it is hard for us to go against the flow of time. But if we do, He will never lose sight of us. Are you in God’s watch?