Ezekiel’s Conscience
The last few weeks God has continuously impressed upon my heart Ezekiel 33. The first time I encountered this chapter was a couple months ago and it left me wondering was I really doing enough to win souls for Christ. About 3 weeks ago I read it again and God began to really convict me about sharing the Gospel with others. The heart of Ezekiel 33 is summed up in verses 7-9:
“Now, son of man, I am making you a watchman for the people of Israel. Therefore, listen to what I say and warn them for me. If I announce that some wicked people are sure to die and you fail to tell them to change their ways, then they will die in their sins, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths. But if you warn them to repent and they don’t repent, they will die in their sins, but you will have saved yourself.”
I sure after hearing this Ezekiel’s conscience was weighed heavy by the magnitude of God’s words. If I was Ezekiel, my first thought would be “God, you are really asking for a lot. These people are going hate me if I start speaking against their ways. I have to live among these people and they are going to speak negatively about me for saying this. Can’t you just send down an angel to deliver your message to them? Why are you holding me responsible for this?” God sent no angel to down to help Ezekiel. He had to be strong and courageous and speak out against Israel’s sin. Likewise, as believers in Christ we are watchmen for the world. We have the hope the world desperately needs. When Jesus gave the great commission He said “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20). It is not an option, but our responsibility to tell people about Christ. The Apostle Paul said “Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:16).
We can not escape this obligation nor should we want too. Who else knows the Truth but us? I know sharing the Gospel offends some people, because it stands in opposition to their religion or lifestyle. However, I rather upset them now with the possibility of them giving their lives to Jesus later than appeasing their feelings by remaining silent and watching them go to Hell.
Sharing the gospel does not mean we have to be in front the church preaching or standing in the town square passing out salvation pamphlets. These things are good, but we can simply share our faith with the people we interact with on a daily basis. I wish that nobody would go to Hell, but it would be even more disturbing to see a friend, co-worker, or a family member in Hell. We have some level of influence with the people closest to us. So maybe they come to Christ because they know us and trust our judgment. My conscience would be full regret if a person went to Hell and I had the opportunity to witness to them but refused too. In closing, if we would yell warning a person that is about to be hit by car than more importantly we should yell and warn the world about the dangers of their sin. Some will listen and some will not, but at least we can go to God with a clean conscience knowing we did our best to bring souls into the Kingdom.
Written by: Brandon
You are sharing your faith right now with the world… You are a blessing
Paul
Thank you for reading. God bless
Yes! Courageous witnesses of Christ, where y’all at???? Nice post bro. We all need reminders like that being fishers of men is part of our calling as children of God. Thanks
Thank you. Yes fishers of men are what we are all called to be. God bless sista.
Brandon, it’s so funny that you are writing about this right now. I too have been thinking about Ezekiel 33 and when I first read it, it freaked me out that I also wrote a post about the same thing called The Watchman’s Duty – Insight to Prophetic Intercession @ http://nightshade130.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/the-watchmans-duty-insight-to-prophetic-intercession/ Have a read when you have time. I think it is so important to understand our roles as not just evangelists of the word but as intercessors of the faith in the Word. Thanks you for this insightful post. It mirrors alot of my thoughts regarding that scriptural passage as you have pointed out. God bless you Brandon.
I just read your post. You are right we have to include intercession. Evangelism and intercession go hand and hand. We are most effective when we are fulling both roles. After reading your post and thinking about mine, I am reminded of the movie “Watchmen”. I don’t if you seen it but it is about a group of superheros who protected a city. As they got older they retired and one by one were killed and the city succumbed to massive waves of crime. I see striking parallels between this movie and our reality. Where there is no Christians to stand up and protect ways of God the people fall for the destructive path of sin. We are the Superheros of this world. When everything goes wrong and no one has a solution We do, because the source of our hope and strength is not of this world. God Bless
Hey Brandon,
Yes, I have watched the Watchmen before which is a very good point that you brought up! This is what happens in our cities when we don’t have Watchmen at our gates. It’s kind of ironic how in the movie industry they are maximizing on peoples desire to watch movies related to superheros. I for one can’t wait for the Avengers movie to come out
but it is just a reflection of a real need that as Christians, people are expressing in various ways that we need superheroes in our lives, we need our Savior, we need Watchmen in our cities otherwise the whole world will end up left in the hands of our adversary who produces nothing but chaos and confusion.
I really want to avoid such chaos from entering the city I live in so interecession…especially prophetic intercession is required as the days we are in now are not good at the moment, considering the economic climate, we need to up our intercession and interceed to have God’s Hand on our lives and on the lives of our family and our countries. We give too much room for the devil when we kill off the voice of prophecy, the voice of evangelism, the voice of truth, etc. God is talking but people have closed their ears and yet we have to do what is mandated for us in Ezekiel 33. In the end, God is asking us, “Will you answer to the Call on your life?”.
Thanks again for your insight on this. I love talking with like-minded people. Stay blessed my brother
Great post Brandon,
Thanks for your insight. We believers need to be more passionate about sharing the gospel with those closest to us, our closest circles on influence. Blessings!
Mike
Yes sir, we do. Thanks for reading Mike. I appreciate your support. God bless
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Thank you for this post. I feel this more and more, too. If we are really full of the love of Christ and are loving those around us with that love, we will be compelled to share the life-saving truth that Jesus is the way! I am asking God to take out everything that hinders me (fear, pride, insecurity, judgment, unforgiveness, etc), so I am free to love with His pure love and to speak the truth in love when He prompts me to! Your post reminded me of this passage (which God really keeps bringing into my mind):
“Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?” Prov. 24:11-12
Can we keep walking by like we don’t notice when someone is on a path that leads to death?!
Thanks, again. God bless and keep you!
I am loving that scripture! Thanks for sharing it. God bless
Hi Brandon,
As I read this post, it was evident that you have a burden for souls! The fact that you strive to live holy, might be an offense to some who are not yet willing to give up their worldly ways. However, continue to stand firm on the truth of the Word of God! I also thought about the birth of the church, which is spoken of in the book of the Acts of the Apostles, chapters 1 and 2. Acts 1:8 says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When we receive the Holy Spirit, we have been endued with power from on high, to be witnesses even unto the ends of the earth! God bless you, and continue to listen to the still small voice of the Lord whispering into your spirit!
Paulette
Thanks Paulette.