It’s my sin that counts . . .

“The word of the Lord came to me: ² “What do you mean by quoting this proverb concerning the land of Israel, ‘The fathers eat sour grapes and the children’s teeth become numb?’³ “As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, you will not quote this proverb in Israel anymore! ⁴ Indeed! All lives are mine—the life of the father as well as the life of the son is mine. The one who sins will die.”  Ezekiel 18:1-3

You cannot live your life without conflict with others.  In our society we spend a lot of time looking to find the fault, to place the blame, to identify the culprit who did the bad deed.  In every argument with another we feel we are right and they are wrong.  And so we examine their motives, statements and actions or inactions in the context which makes our motives, statements and or actions pure, righteous and without blame.  The focus is them as compared to us. 

I very recently had such a conflict.  And I did examine them.  I found them lacking.  It didn’t hurt my position that their actions which followed seemed to clearly validate my position and were indeed clearly wrong.  I would have felt quite justified IF it weren’t for this scripture passage. When I read this I realized there were three contentions with my approach:  1) Ownership, 2) Focus and 3) Standard.

Ownership:  I took the position that I am the owner of myself and therefore I get to determine what I do or don’t do, say or not say.  If I am the owner of myself I also get to determine what I am going to accept from someone or what I am not.  As master and owner of myself I can determine if I have to suffer through criticism just or unjust.  I decide whether to stay or leave.  Take up arms and fight or not.  BUT if I am not the owner of myself. . . . well then I have to take orders and do what the owner says, and here the writer notes the Lord as saying:  “Indeed! All lives are mine . . .”  SO since I do not own me, I do not get to determine what I do, or don’t do; say or not say; accept or reject; fight or not fight.  At the potential start of every conflict I must ask:  What Lord do you what me to do or don’t do, say or not say, accept or reject, fight or not fight?  Lord what do YOU my owner want of me in this situation?

Focus:  My focus was their actions, statements, etc.  God’s focus . . . “The one who sins . . .” Oh but are you thinking what I am thinking? I am not that one.  Clearly they are.  I did what was right. If you are thinking that, you, like me this morning, are again missing the focus.  The writer is not focusing on the other but on each person directly in relationship to a Living and all knowing and powerful God!  See I am to examine myself as He examines me.  There is no other in this passage, just the one before the Lord, individually.  “. . . the life of the father as well as the life of the son . . .” Each one, not in relationship to each other but to Him.  Which leads us to the final issue . . .

Standard:  Remember I was comparing them to me and me to them.  I could also bring into the equation any number of “experts” in the matter the subject of the conflict.  I could expound on how they truly know the strength and virtue of my position and argument.  But the problem with any such a standard is that it is on the horizontal plane of men to men, whereas the writer is talking about a different standard – a vertical standard – a standard based upon man to God’s law.  “The one who sins . . .”  Sin is only defined in relationship of the individual to God.  I sin when I violate God’s law; when I do not do what He has ordered to be done.  My actions, thoughts, motives, statements, silence, etc. are all viewed in light of God’s instruction.  Does it match up to God’s orders? Neither them or me, or me to them, or me to anyone else is the standard. Me to God’s law, that is the standard.

Well, getting back to my conflict.  How did I do in light of the passage?

I am sad to say, pretty lousy, pretty bad.  It all started with my getting off with respect to the ownership issue.  I never asked what the Lord, my owner, would have me to do.  It all went downhill from there.  Focus was off, examining all the wrong people and wrong actions.  Standard was so messed up I thought that I should take further actions to “teach them just how right I was.”

Then came this word for breakfast.  And the last portion of the scripture defined the current moment.  “The one who sins will die.”

Death – the result of sin.  Death – the consequence for disobedience.  Death – the loss of life.

And yes there was death.  A little bit of the intimacy built in the relationship was lost.  There was a hurt and pain which did not have to be, for both of us.  The door was shut and locked – communication lost.  The joy that should have followed, the sharing that should have been, the discussions that could have occurred all did not happen.  All the result of sin – the result of not applying a proper understanding for ownership, focus and standard.

Thanks be to God I can repent – agree with God and go His way – and pray for His healing.  Christ rose from the grave with the power and authority to bring the dead to life!  Praise the Lord!

Please note there is no discussion as to whether my position was accurate or not; whether what I spoke and did was the truth or not.  What matters is that I did not follow God’s pattern.  I do not know what would have occurred should I have.  He owns all life, so what would He have done to exhibit life in my conflict?  . . . in yours?

Next time I hope to experience what he will do . . . I got it now.  Do you?

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Luv yah