THE SOUL THAT SINS WILL DIE

THE SOUL THAT SINS WILL DIE

“The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.” (Ezekiel 18:20 kjv)

Ezekiel 18:1-32 proves that we are not innocent or guilty because of someone else. The same truth is stated in Deuteronomy 24:16: “Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin.” No one is saved or condemned by what someone else does. Each of us will be judged for our own sins! It is the soul that sins that will die! Ezekiel concludes this chapter with an admonition to repent: “For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!” (Ezekiel 18:32) God has given you the ability to repent if you choose to do so!

It is common to blame someone else for our sins. Adam tried to blame Eve (Genesis 3:12). Eve tried to blame the serpent (Genesis 3:13). But God places the blame on each one of us as individuals. “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned”. (Romans 5:12)

The Scriptures are clear that “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) The Scriptures are clear: “There is no one righteous, not even one”. (Romans 3:10)

Since God does not condemn us for someone else’s sin, it logically follows that God has given us the ability to make choices!

GOD’S FOREKNOWLEDGE AND MAN’S FREE WILL

Man has “freewill” because we are created in the image of God! “Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:26-27)

Mankind is unique in this regard for only he is created in the image of God. Animals, for example, are not created in the image of God. They do not have free will as man does! The animals got on the ark, for example, because God commanded them to (Genesis 6:20). Mankind, however, chose to reject what God commanded. In fact, only eight people entered into the ark and were saved (1 Peter 3:20). Animals are inferior to man. In fact, God ordained that man would “rule” over birds, fish and all other living creatures (Genesis 1:28). Animals migrate to survive, but man can adapt to live any place on earth regardless of temperatures or food supplies. Man can live anywhere he “chooses” to live!

Being created in the image of God, however, does not give us the ability to know the future. Only God knows the future! Isaiah wrote: “I am God and there is none like me I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come.” (Isaiah 46:9-10) Generations before Jerusalem was destroyed, for example, Isaiah predicted that Cyrus would rebuild Jerusalem

(Isaiah 44:28). THE FACT THAT GOD KNEW WHAT CYRUS WOULD DO, HOWEVER, DOES NOT MEAN THAT CYRUS DID NOT HAVE FREE WILL!

Before God created Adam and Eve He knew they would sin. This is why Jesus was destined to die before the creation of the world! “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.” (I Peter 1:18- 20) God created man in His own image with the full recognition that he would choose to sin and need redemption!

Cain was not forced by someone else to kill his brother, he had a choice. Neither did Cain kill his brother by accident. Cain chose to kill his brother. We also have a choice! We don’t have to be like Cain: “For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.” (1 John 3:11-12) If you do not have a choice this Scripture would be without meaning!

Everybody has the ability to make choices! Moses said to Israel: “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life that you and your children may live”. (Deuteronomy 30:19) The fact that God knew in advance what Israel would choose does not mean that they didn’t make their choices on their own.

When Rebekah gave birth to twins God knew in advance that the elder would serve the younger (Romans 9:10-14). This does not mean, however, that Jacob and Esau did not have the free will to make decisions on their own. Esau “chose” to despise his birthright and sold it for a bowl of soup (Genesis 25:31-34).

Achan didn’t “have” to steal forbidden things from Jericho. He “chose” to do so. Achan confessed to Joshua: “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.” (Joshua 7:20-21) Achan could not blame anyone else for what he chose to do! Everyone will be punished for their own sins!

The sinful son confessed to his father: “I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.” (Luke 15:18-19)

Ananias and Sapphira also had a choice. They sold a piece of property and conspired together to keep back some of the money for themselves. They didn’t “have” to do this, they “chose” to do so. Peter said: “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” (Acts 5:3-4)

Even though God knows in advance what we will do, we still have the ability to choose what we will do!

THE CASE OF JUDAS

Centuries before Jesus was born David was inspired to write the 41st Psalm. In this Psalm David predicted the betrayal of Jesus and wrote “Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.” (Psalm 41:9). At the last supper Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him and quoted these inspired words of David: “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned against me.’” (John 13:18)

It is obvious that Jesus knew that one of His disciples would betray Him, but it is not clear that Jesus knew this when Judas was selected as an apostle. As you know, Jesus prayed all night long before selecting His apostles: “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:” (Luke 6:12-13) Jesus apparently trusted all twelve men and gave them “Authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.” (Matthew 10:1) Jesus further empowered them: “As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:7-8) It is hard to imagine that Judas was filled with Satan at this time! Psalm 41:9 is clear that at one time Judas was a “close friend” whom Jesus “trusted”. It was apparently later that Judas “chose” to let Satan to enter into his heart (John 13:27).

As we have said, David predicted that a “close friend” whom Jesus “trusted” would lift up his heel against him. In fact, Judas was so trusted that he was put in charge of the apostolic treasury. At some point, however, Judas “chose” to be a thief (John 12:6). Some time later Judas also “chose” to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.

It is my “opinion” that the betrayal of Jesus for 30 pieces of silver was not just greed. Perhaps it was also intended by Judas to create a rebellion that would liberate the Jews from the tyranny of Rome. In 168 B.C. Israel was enslaved by Antiochus Epiphanes, the wicked Seleucid King. This evil man desecrated the Jewish Temple and violently persecuted the Jews. In 166 B.C. a small rebellion quickly created a full scale revolution that resulted in Jewish independence. The cleansing and rededication of the Jewish Temple is still celebrated annually by the Feast of Dedication (John 10:22). This is an eight day festival which modern Jews call Hanukkah. It is also called the “Feast of Lights” because when the priests lighted the golden Menorah in the temple they only had enough purified oil to last one day. Miraculously, however, God enabled that small amount of oil to last for all eight days.

It is my “opinion” that Judas betrayed Jesus in order to spark a rebellion like Judas Maccabeus in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes. As an added bonus, Judas expected, no doubt, to have a powerful position in this new kingdom. John the Baptist, as well as Jesus, both preached that the “Kingdom of heaven” was at hand (Matthew 3:2; 4:17). It seems that Judas expected Jesus, the son of David, to be

an earthly king just like David was! When there was no rebellion at the arrest of Jesus, however, Judas didn’t know what to do. Sadly, when Judas “saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders.“I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.” So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.” (Matthew 27:3-5)

Judas, of course, had nobody to blame but himself! As he left the upper room Jesus said to him: “What you are about to do, do quickly.” (John 13:27) Judas was completely responsible for his own sin, and so are we!

THE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS STILL MAKE CHOICES

We become followers of Jesus by making a choice. No man, no government, not even the angels can compel anyone to be a Christian. Only we can choose to be followers of Christ. When we become followers of Christ, however, we still make choices. If we could not do so then the New Testament letters written to Christians would be without meaning!

It seems that all of the disciples, like Judas, chose to follow Jesus under the illusion that He was going to establish an earthly kingdom. This was not so! Jesus clearly told Pilate: “My kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36) Jesus did not clearly tell His disciples about this, however, until the third year of his ministry. At Caesarea Philippi, after Peter’s confession that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God, “From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” (Matthew 16:21)

Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John to the Mount of Transfiguration where He spoke with Moses and Elijah about His death in Jerusalem (Matthew 17:1-13). This emphasized that the death of Jesus was in complete harmony with the Law and the Prophets.

Even though the Twelve did not understand the suffering and death of Jesus in Jerusalem, they still “chose” to follow Him (Mark 9:30-32).

This teaching, however, caused many to quit following Jesus! After feeding the 5,000, for example, the people came by force to make Him their king (John 6:15). After rejecting this offer Jesus preached a “hard” sermon and “From this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him.” (John 6:66). These thousands of followers obviously had the ability to change their minds. So did the Twelve! “You do not want to leave too, do you?”Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:67-69)

Followers of Jesus do not lose their free will! At this time, even though Judas did not openly leave the Twelve, he had already chosen to reject Jesus as Lord and make his own decisions. Jesus knew this and said: “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of us is a devil! (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray Him). (John 6:70)

Jesus never forces anyone to follow Him! We have freewill and can follow Jesus if we choose to, or we can stop following Him any time we choose to.

At the last supper Jesus warned Peter that before the rooster crowed, he would disown Him three times (John 13:38). Just because Jesus knew that Peter would deny Him however, did not mean that Peter didn’t have a choice. Fortunately Peter “chose” to repent of denying Jesus and returned to the upper room. Judas, by contrast, “chose” to go out and hang himself.

Judas hid his rebellion so carefully that when he left the upper room to betray Jesus most of the disciples thought he was going out to buy food for the feast, or to give something to the poor (See John 13:21-30). Judas may have fooled his friends, but he couldn’t fool God!

After Judas left, Jesus taught beautiful and eternal truths that Judas needed to hear (See John 13:31-14:31) Sadly, however, Judas was already gone! Finally, Jesus said: “Come now; let us leave”. (John 14:31) At that time they left the upper room and began walking to the Garden of Gethsemane.

It is assumed that on their way they passed through a vineyard and Jesus used the vine and breaches around them to teach an eternal truth about choices.

• Judas, one of the Twelve, was already lost. Jesus made reference of this in His prayer to the Father. In that prayer Jesus said to God: “While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.” (John 17:12)
• Just as Judas made a choice to leave Jesus, apparently the other eleven could also choose to leave Jesus.
• So Jesus said: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go

and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.” (John 15:1-17)

• Jesus said: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last”. As you know, Jesus also chose Judas, but Judas chose not to “remain” in his relationship with Jesus!
• In this brief passage the word “remain” is found ten times. “Remaining” in Jesus obviously involves a choice! Judas “chose” not to “remain” and Jesus warned the other eleven that if they followed the example of Judas they were be thrown into the fire and burned: “If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.”
• It is obvious that the disciples freely “chose” to follow Jesus! And it is equally obvious that they could also freely “choose” to stop following Him if they wanted to!

LOSING YOUR FREE WILL

Jesus said: “Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.” He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.” (Mark 3:28-30)

This “eternal sin” is also mentioned in Matthew 12:31-32 and Luke 12:10.

Some think that John was addressing this same sin when he wrote: “If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.” (I John 5:16-17)

So also the book of Hebrews warns that it is impossible for some to repent: “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.” (Hebrews 6:4-6)

Here are some thoughts that will hopefully shed light on these difficult Scriptures.

• First, let us remember that God does not change! “I the Lord do not change.” (Malachi 3:6) “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)
• God wants everyone to repent! “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
• This means that any time someone repents God is willing to forgive them!
• The “eternal sin” therefore, must be something that prevents us from repenting.
• While God does not change, we do. We are creatures of habit. There was a time when we could not walk, now we can walk in our sleep. There was a time when we could not talk, and now we can talk in our sleep. There was a time when our conscience bothered us when we sinned, but if we sin too much we can destroy our conscience.
• You can go blind by looking at the sun! Prolonged exposure to loud noises can cause you to lose your hearing. Prolonged abuse of alcohol and drugs can destroy y our ability to think!
• Prolonged abuse of your conscience can destroy your ability to tell right from wrong. Those whom Jesus warned of an “eternal sin” were the very ones who accused Jesus of having an unclean spirit!
• Anybody who thinks that Jesus is evil is in eternal danger. Paul wrote: “If anyone does not love the Lord – a curse be on him. Come O Lord”. (1 Corinthians 16:22) The word translated as “love” in this verse is “phileo”. It means to “cherish” or “like”. It is never used in a command! If you do not “cherish” or “like” Jesus you are so utterly corrupt and confused that you cannot be saved!

CONSCIENCE

The Bible word for “conscience” is “suneidesis”. It is a compound of two different words “sun”– with, and “oida” - to know.”

• The Scriptures make reference to a “good conscience” - (Acts 23:1; 1 Timothy 1:5; Hebrews 13:18; I Peter 3:16, 21) Those who have a “good conscience” can be saved for they are immediately aware of their sin! John 8:9 is an example of those who were convicted by their own conscience.
• But the Scriptures also refer to those who have their conscience seared with a hot iron (1 Timothy 4:2). Others have a conscience that is “defiled” (1 Corinthians 8:7; 1 Timothy 1:15). Still others have a conscience that is “evil” (Hebrews 10:22). If your conscience is not working properly it is possible for you to sin and not be aware that you are sinning!
• The disease of Leprosy causes the victim to lose feeling. Many lepers have their fingers and toes eaten off by rats while they sleep and are totally unaware of this until morning because they feel no pain!
• Those with a defiled conscience can completely lose their relationship with God and not even be aware of it.

THE EXAMPLE OF NERO

Alfred Henry Newman wrote this about Nero on page 112 of Volume 1 of his book on Church History:

“Gifted in poetry and in music, genial, humane, the beginning of his reign awakened high expectations. Augustus had esteemed it a personal affliction to be obliged to punish, and he had

inflicted the death penalty only in extreme cases. The youthful Nero, some time after his assumption of the purple, rejoiced that in his entire empire not a drop of blood had been shed. When it appeared necessary for him to sign death warrants he lamented that he could write. Under the tuition of such philosophers and statesmen as Seneca and Burrhus it was expected that the ingenuous youth would become a paragon of wisdom and of justice. Seneca thought him "incapable of learning cruelty" and expected that the emperor's gentleness of disposition would permeate the entire empire and so transform the world as to restore the innocent, golden age of mankind.”

With God's help this talented young man could have commanded the summit with history's mighty men. Instead we remember him as one of the most degraded monsters who ever lived. Within a few years after becoming emperor, Nero had degenerated to a sadistic fiend. He ordered the murder of his brother, the assassination of his mother, and the murder of his first wife. His second wife died from personal abuse. Nero greedily played the part of a public buffoon. Unbridled indulgence in vice of every description became characteristic of his life. His insane approach to matters of state led him to set fire to the city of Rome and then to blame the Christians for the crime. Nero also has the dubious distinction of executing both Peter and Paul.

Tacitus describes the persecution of Christians with these words: “First were arraigned those who confessed, then on their information a vast multitude were convicted, not so much on the charge of arson as for their hatred of the human race. Their deaths were made more cruel by the mockery that accompanied them. Some were covered with the skins of wild beasts and torn to pieces by dogs; others perished on the cross or in the flames; and others again were burnt after sunset as torches to light up the darkness. Nero himself granted his gardens for the show, and gave an exhibition in the circus, and dressed as a charioteer, mixed with the people or drove his chariot himself. Thus guilty and deserving the punishment as they were, they were yet pitied, as they seemed to be put to death, not for the benefit of the state, but to gratify the cruelty of an individual.”

THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS

• Jesus was tempted in every way that we are tempted, yet never sinned: “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” (Hebrews 4:14-15)
• Jesus obviously had a “good conscience”!
• Sin does not start outside of us it starts inside of us: “For out of the heart come evil thoughts— murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.” (Matthew 15:19)
• The way we think is the way we act: “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he”. (Proverbs 23:7)
• In the days of Noah the thoughts of man’s heart were only evil all the time (Genesis 6:5) Consequently his actions were evil all the time!
• The Greek word for “repentance” is “metanoeo” which literally means to change your mind. When you change your mind you will also change your life because the way you think is the way you act!
• While sinners in the days of Noah were continually thinking about bad things, Christians are to set our minds on things above and not on things of earth (Colossians 3:1).
• Paul wrote to the Philippians “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)
• Jesus faced his greatest temptation in Gethsemane for it was in Gethsemane that He was struggling to make up His mind.
• In Gethsemane Jesus asked for help from Peter, James. And John (Matthew 26:36-38).
• In Gethsemane an angel from heaven appeared to Jesus and strengthened Him (Luke 22:43).
• In Gethsemane the sweat of Jesus was like drops of blood falling to the ground (Luke 22:44).
• In Gethsemane Jesus rebuked His disciples for sleeping and said: “Could you not watch with me one hour?” (Matthew 26:40)
• Finally in Gethsemane Jesus firmly made up His mind to obey God.
• In Gethsemane Jesus calmly told His disciples: “Rise let’s go! Here comes my betrayer!” (Matthew 26:46)
• Once Jesus had firmly made up His mind the major crisis was over. He went through the long night of humiliation and torture without sinning and without needing the help of angels or men!
• As He was dying He cried out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)
• The disciples, by contrast, were not struggling to make up their minds about choosing to obey God. They were sleeping! That’s why the Scriptures state: “Then all of the disciples deserted Him and fled.” (Matthew 26:56)
• The time to make up your mind about being faithful to God is BEFORE you are tempted!
• Joseph obviously made up his mind in advance about not committing adultery (Genesis 39:6-20). David obviously didn’t! (2 Samuel 11:1-17)

NAGALAND

Nagaland became a state in India on December 1, 1963. There were 16 different Naga tribes in Nagaland and they were all “head hunters”. The entrance to every village featured a pyramid of human heads. No Naga woman would think of marrying a man who hadn’t behead at least one enemy. The more heads you collected the higher was your standing in the village. The women even designed their dresses to reveal how many heads their husband had collected.

Missionaries first came to Nagaland in 1839 but the first church was not established until 1872. India is predominately a Hindu nation. Only 2.3% of the population of India is Christian. Christians, by contrast, as of 2025, compose 87.93 % of the population of Nagaland. When I visited there some years ago the Minister of Tourism told me that if it were not for Hindus who emigrated to Nagaland the percentage would be much higher.

Dr. Garland Bare was born to missionary parents on the Thai Tibetan border. Dr. Bare became a missionary himself and told me that the words to this song came from the first convert from the Naga Tribe who died as a martyr for his faith.

I have decided to follow Jesus; I have decided to follow Jesus; I have decided to follow Jesus; No turning back, no turning back.

The world behind me, the cross before me; The world behind me, the cross before me; The world behind me, the cross before me;

No turning back, no turning back.

Though none go with me, still I will follow; Though none go with me, still I will follow; Though none go with me, still I will follow;

No turning back, no turning back.

My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus; My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus; My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;

No turning back, no turning back.

Will you decide now to follow Jesus? Will you decide now to follow Jesus? Will you decide now to follow Jesus?

No turning back, no turning back.

PLEASE DECIDE TO FOLLOW JESUS AND DON’T TURN BACK!