Greetings in the Lord!

Today's word comes from Mark 7:1-23 and Ezekiel 18:20-24,32. I will write selected verses:
Mk 7:9 And he (Jesus) said to them (Pharisees): "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe you own traditions!"...V.14) Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean.'
Ezk 18:20-21 The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him. But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees...he will surely live;...V 24) But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness he is guilty of and because of the sins he has committed, he will die. V 30) Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each according to his ways, declares the Sovereign Lord...Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, get a new heart and a new spirit....V 32) For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!"

~These two passages taken together help us to realize that 1) while all mankind is guilty of sin and create ways to live separate from God, we are only held accountable for our own sins, 2) we can turn from these sins and be redeemed--Set Free!--by the blood of Christ 3) we can know that God's judgement is just and the He does not delight in the perishing of any life 4) and, while the promise of a new life, being set free from sin, is unconditional and available to all, it is not inevitable and a choice must be made to accept the gift of salvation--Jesus Christ. 5) lastly, each day we must choose to follow Him and "work out our salvation with fear and trembling"--in other words, remain in Christ.

~Be blessed and be a blessing.

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