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Well, we've had a great day 
together. 

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Wonderful meal together. 
Thank you so much for the 

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hospitality. 
That was extended and we're so 

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thankful for this opportunity to
worship together. 

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I do know the challenge that is 
ahead of me when the belly is 

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full. 
The eyelids are heavy, but I 

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would just ask that you bear 
with me for a few moments as we 

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consider sour grapes. 
Now this expression sour grapes 

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As we use it today originates 
from one of Aesop's, Fables, the

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story is told of a cluster of 
grapes that was hanging 

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dangling, over a wall, just Out 
Of Reach of The Sly Fox and that

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fox junk that he jumped and he 
just couldn't get to the grapes.

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And finally, he gave up turns 
away in exasperation in and says

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Those Grapes are just sour. 
Anyway, and we use the 

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Expression, sour grapes based 
upon the concept that someone is

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bitter and angry because things 
didn't turn out the way they had

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hoped. 
And so, when things don't turn 

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out the way you'd want, and you 
kind of respond and arrogantly 

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or rationally in differently, We
say, oh, that's just sour 

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grapes. 
But the expression sour grapes 

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as we use, it is really not how 
we find it in the Bible that 

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expression. 
Sour grapes originated long, 

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long time ago with the people of
God, using the expression over 

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2,500 years ago, the nation of 
Israel had gone into captivity 

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by the Assyrians over a hundred 
years later. 

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The Sensational Southern nation 
of Judah. 

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The kingdom of Judah would be 
taken into Babylonian captivity.

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And God is going to send 
prophets to communicate to his 

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people. 
During this period of Babylonian

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captivity one profit that we 
know. 

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Probably the best is the the 
prophet of Daniel. 

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The Prophet Daniel was sent to 
communicate to Babylon to 

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Nebuchadnezzar that even though 
you've got God's people, you 

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don't have God even though you 
may have control of Of Judah. 

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You do not have control of 
judah's God. 

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And so his prophecy is preaching
was really directed to the 

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world. 
But there was also another 

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Prophet, a contemporary of 
Daniel. 

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So somewhat and his name is 
Ezekiel. 

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His message was not targeted so 
much to the people of the world 

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as it was to the people of God. 
And his message was to the, to 

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the Jews that you are in 
captivity because of sin. 

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And you're not going to get out 
very quickly, it's going to 

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last, and this captivity, of 
course did last for 70 years. 

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But they had an expression, the 
people of God in captivity, they

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had this proverb, they would use
it. 

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Made themselves feel better, and
here's what it said. 

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The word of the Lord came to me 
again, saying this is Ezekiel. 

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What do you mean? 
When you use this proverb? 

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Concerning the land of Israel 
saying the fathers have eaten, 

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sour grapes. 
And the children's teeth are set

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on edge. 
You see? 

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The Jews were throwing 
themselves, a pity party, they 

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were in captivity and they were 
beginning to look at their 

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circumstances. 
And that began to try to 

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rationalize and justify 
themselves. 

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And they were actually blaming 
their circumstances on something

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that their fathers had done. 
We're being punished because of 

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what our forefathers did, our 
fathers have eaten sour grapes 

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and yet the children's Teeth are
set on edge so they were in 

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their pity party, basically, 
saying, look at what has 

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happened to us, it's really not 
our fault. that then, Verse 3, 

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as I live, says, the Lord God. 
You shall no longer use this 

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proverb in Israel. 
God says to the children of 

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Israel through through Ezekiel, 
I want you to stop saying this, 

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I want you to stop using this 
proverb. 

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Behold, All Souls are mine verse
for the soul of the father, as 

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well as the soul of the son is 
mine. 

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The soul who sins shall die. 
Now throughout this chapter, 

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we're going to find that he uses
the terms live and die over and 

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over again. 
I personally believe he's 

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talking about spiritual. 
Living and spiritual die. 

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The reason, I believe that it is
spiritual in nature is that all 

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are going to die. 
Physically, but the soul who 

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sins will die. 
Spiritually. 

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But, regardless of how you 
interpret the concept and the 

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nature of death, The principle 
is the same. 

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That God is saying that you are 
going to be responsible and you 

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cannot, you cannot judge your 
situation based upon your father

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Therefore your father's actions,
your father's attitudes. 

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But ultimately yes, his soul is 
mine, your soul is mine and the 

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Soul who sins shall die. 
There's actually as we go 

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through this chapter, we're 
going to see five illustrations 

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that he is going to use and 
utilize to point out two 

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critical lessons. 
And I want to share those with 

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you for just a few moments and 
the lesson will be yours as we 

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00:06:49,500 --> 00:06:52,900
go through Ezekiel 18. 
We usually focus on one or two 

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verses but when we look at the 
whole chapter we see there's a 

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critical Point being made that's
going to illustrate some 

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application even for us today. 
The first thing we're going to 

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see in this illustration of five
is he's going to point out a man

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who does what is right. 
We're going to call him the 

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righteous man. 
And we know that is a righteous 

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man because the Bible refers to 
him as such if a man is just and

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does what is lawful and right? 
What does he do verse 9? 

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00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:33,900
If he has walked in my statutes 
and kept my judgments 

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Faithfully, he is just he shall 
surely live, says the Lord God. 

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Now, here's a man that's going 
to live. 

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Why is he going to live? 
Because he does. 

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What is right? 
He is a righteous man because he

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considers What God Says and he 
listens and he obeys God's word.

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And he does what is right in the
sight of God. 

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He is going to live. 
Now, let me ask you, what kind 

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of a son do you suppose? 
A man like this is going to 

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produce Now if you're like me 
naturally, we are inclined to 

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think that a righteous man who 
obeys God and loves. 

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God is going to teach his son 
that he should obey God and 

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love. 
Love God. 

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And he most certainly does but 
just because he does, doesn't 

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mean that his son is actually 
going to follow in his footsteps

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and so the next illustration is 
going to be of an unrighteous 

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son. 
As we see here in verses 10 

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through 13, Ezekiel says, if he 
that is the righteous man 

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bhagat's a son, who is a robber 
or a shedder of blood who does 

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any of these things and does 
none of those duties. 

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But has eaten on the mountains 
or defiled, his neighbor's wife.

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This is a rotten, man. 
He is an ungodly man. 

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He is not. 
Obviously, considering the way. 

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Eyes Of God if he has oppressed 
the poor and needy robbed by 

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violence. 
Here's a violent man. 

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He's a he's got a righteous 
father but he is a violent son. 

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Not restored the pledge, lifted,
his eyes to the idols or 

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committed Abomination, if he 
isn't exactly Usery and and take

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an increase, shall he then live?
He shall not. 

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Live. 
If he has done any of these 

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Abominations, he shall surely 
die. 

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And here's, here's the kicker. 
His blood shall be upon him. 

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Now. 
Here is a man that is the polar 

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opposite of his father. 
And we recognize that that 

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happens. 
Sometimes there are examples in 

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the Bible of this happening. 
Eli was a righteous and godly 

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man who had vile Sons. 
For Samuel to 12, Samuel was a 

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righteous and a godly man who 
had corrupted ungodly Sons verse

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Samuel, chapter 8, verses two 
through five, but here in 

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Ezekiel 18, and verse 10, in 
spite of the fact that he had a 

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Godly father. 
And because of the fact that he 

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made poor choices himself that 
conclusion, in verse 13 is that 

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he is going to die and he will 
it will be his own fault, his 

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blood shall be upon him Now, 
here's another question. 

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You've got a son like that. 
A man like this. 

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What kind of a son, do you think
this guy's going to have? 

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Now, you might think well of a 
guy that's described like this 

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obviously doesn't love God and 
doesn't care to teach his 

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children about God and he 
probably doesn't. 

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And therefore, what kind of a 
disadvantage would his son have?

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If he is raised my father like 
this? 

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And so if you, if you are 
imagining like I would imagine 

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an unrighteous man having a son,
he's going to be just as ungodly

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and just as unrighteous as he 
will, if not more. 

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But that's not. 
What we see. 

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This man. 
Has a son. 

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Who is actually a righteous man?
Here's what Ezekiel has. 

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I'm sorry. 
I have to click over here on my 

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phone. 
But Ezekiel says, if however, He

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begets a son. 
This guy is going to be get a 

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son, who sees all the sins which
is father has done and 

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considers. 
But does not do likewise. 

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He's watching he's watching dad 
and he's looking and he's 

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actually even considering what's
he considering? 

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Whether or not. 
He should follow the same path 

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and he considers maybe he's 
tempted and contemplating going 

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that direction but he does not 
he actually Turns away and does 

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not do likewise who has 
withdrawn his hand from the poor

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and not received usury or 
increase. 

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He's the polar opposite of his 
father but has executed my 

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judgments. 
And walked in my statute, he 

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shall not die for the iniquity 
of his father. 

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He shall surely live. 
So here we have the first three 

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illustrations teaching us the 
first lesson and the first 

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lesson is this every Person. 
Is responsible for their own 

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personal spiritual condition. 
Your own personal spiritual 

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00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:11,900
condition. 
Usually in chapters 18 of his 

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Eco. 
We focus on verse 20 and 20 is a

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powerful verse that conveys. 
This very thought this teaching 

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the soul who sins shall die. 
The son shall not bear. 

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00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:29,100
The guilt of the father, neither
the father bear, the guilt of 

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the Sun that word guilt. 
There is very imperative for us 

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to understand the kind of the 
nature of This relationship and 

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we'll talk about that in a 
moment. 

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The righteousness of the 
righteous shall be upon himself 

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and the wickedness of the wicked
shall be upon himself. 

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Everyone is responsible for 
their own. 

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Personal spiritual. 
Condition. 

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The Bible teaches. 
That we are all responsible for 

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our own choices and conduct. 
You know, this refutes the idea 

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that were born in sin it does 
not think this is a good passage

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to help us understand that, we 
We are not born. 

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As guilty, Sinners inheriting, 
the original sin of Adam. 

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You know, there's a lot of 
people that believe that, that 

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when Adam and Eve sinned, that 
that original sin somehow is 

191
00:14:36,100 --> 00:14:41,900
transmitted and inherited and 
passed on to all of mankind. 

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00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:45,000
But that's not what the Bible 
teaches. 

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And there's a number of passages
that refute this and certainly 

194
00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:51,400
this one does, and when we're 
talking about the guilt now, 

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00:14:51,400 --> 00:14:56,800
yes, there it's possible for us 
to sin and so sin, that we pass 

196
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on the consequences of our sin 
to other people, other people 

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00:15:00,100 --> 00:15:04,500
can suffer because of our sins. 
If I choose to drink and get in 

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the car and drive down the road 
drunk, and I hit somebody and 

199
00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:11,500
kill somebody, they are 
Innocent, but they are suffering

200
00:15:11,500 --> 00:15:15,200
because of my sin. 
This is not what's going on 

201
00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:17,400
here? 
The soul who sins shall die? 

202
00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:22,900
The son shall not bear. 
The guilt of the father. 

203
00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:25,800
Neither the father bear, the 
guilt of the Sun. 

204
00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:29,700
That means we are not held 
accountable. 

205
00:15:31,700 --> 00:15:36,400
For something that someone else 
has done our fathers or mothers 

206
00:15:36,900 --> 00:15:40,500
have done. 
And it refutes, this idea that 

207
00:15:40,500 --> 00:15:45,300
we inherit the guilt and thereby
are held accountable for someone

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00:15:45,300 --> 00:15:47,100
else's sin. 
You know what else? 

209
00:15:47,100 --> 00:15:51,100
It refutes? 
Is the notion that who we are is

210
00:15:51,100 --> 00:15:53,600
limited to who our parents are 
now. 

211
00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:57,000
I know, genetics are powerful 
and yes, you can see a mini 

212
00:15:57,000 --> 00:16:01,400
characteristics in a son that 
resemble. 

213
00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:04,300
Character character of the 
Father, the characteristics. 

214
00:16:04,300 --> 00:16:09,600
I should say of a father and I 
believe one of the strongest 

215
00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:13,500
influences on our lives comes 
from our parents. 

216
00:16:13,700 --> 00:16:16,600
There is a saying that thought 
like father like son or the 

217
00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:18,900
Apple doesn't fall far from the 
tree. 

218
00:16:19,100 --> 00:16:23,100
Proverbs, 26, or 5:40, says 
train up a child in the way that

219
00:16:23,100 --> 00:16:25,600
he should go. 
And when he is old, he shall not

220
00:16:25,700 --> 00:16:30,200
depart From it. 
Now, that is a proverb. 

221
00:16:31,500 --> 00:16:37,000
It is not a promise. 
And a proverb, of course, is a 

222
00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:41,200
teaching, a wise statement of 
how things generally turn out, 

223
00:16:41,200 --> 00:16:43,000
but they are, there are 
exceptions. 

224
00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:48,000
Even God, the most faithful 
loyal, the greatest of all 

225
00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:54,200
fathers, has wayward children. 
And so in Proverbs 23 and verse 

226
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22, when it says, drunkards 
become poor. 

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00:16:57,700 --> 00:17:01,900
Usually, that's the way it turns
out, but there are exceptions to

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that rule aren't there. 
There are some well, Earthy 

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drunkards, but the point of 
Ezekiel chapter 18 is not to 

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diminish the power of Parental 
influence but rather to 

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00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:15,099
demonstrate the power of 
personal choice. 

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00:17:16,099 --> 00:17:19,700
Yes, here in three generations, 
Ezekiel illustrates, that's 

233
00:17:19,700 --> 00:17:23,400
possible for a Godly father, to 
have an ungodly son. 

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00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:25,900
How is that? 
Because of the choice of that 

235
00:17:25,900 --> 00:17:32,200
ungodly son and for an ungodly 
son to have himself a Godly son?

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How is that possible? 
Because of choice, it tells me 

237
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in spite of my upbringing or in 
spite of my circumstances. 

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Everybody has a choice of what 
kind of person they're going to 

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be and you may have the greatest
Influence in your life you may 

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00:17:47,500 --> 00:17:51,000
have had the greatest father the
greatest mother the greatest 

241
00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:54,900
grandmother the greatest 
grandfather and you don't use 

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00:17:54,900 --> 00:17:57,900
that as to your advantage you 
don't soak that up. 

243
00:18:00,500 --> 00:18:02,800
You choose to go a different 
path. 

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00:18:04,100 --> 00:18:08,800
That's your choice. 
And you may have had. 

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The opposite where you've had 
parents, that weren't what they 

246
00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:21,300
ought to be. 
And you choose to be different. 

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00:18:24,100 --> 00:18:30,700
You know, people like that I do.
There are cycles that do not 

248
00:18:30,700 --> 00:18:35,000
have to continue. 
There are cycles of abuse that 

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don't have to be. 
There are cycles of addiction 

250
00:18:39,500 --> 00:18:44,400
that don't have to continue. 
There are cycles of rebellion 

251
00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:48,700
that do not have to be. 
And just because my father may 

252
00:18:48,700 --> 00:18:52,600
have had a certain disposition. 
That doesn't mean my course is 

253
00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:54,500
set. 
I love the story about Ben 

254
00:18:54,500 --> 00:18:59,500
Hooper. 
He was twice elected governor of

255
00:18:59,500 --> 00:19:02,000
the state of Tennessee Ben 
Hooper. 

256
00:19:03,900 --> 00:19:07,000
But it was born in very sad 
circumstances, really? 

257
00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:11,500
When he was born many, many 
years ago, his mother was not 

258
00:19:11,500 --> 00:19:14,000
married. 
He was an illegitimate child and

259
00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:19,400
so that brought a stigma a it 
brought an identification 

260
00:19:20,100 --> 00:19:24,200
abayas, a shame, and that day 
and age. 

261
00:19:24,200 --> 00:19:28,500
It was a terrible ugly thing for
a child to be considered such a 

262
00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:33,300
an illegitimate child. 
Nothing whatsoever to do with 

263
00:19:33,700 --> 00:19:37,300
Is. 
Birth or who he was but that's 

264
00:19:37,300 --> 00:19:41,800
the way it was. 
The kids at school were mean, to

265
00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:45,500
him ugly to him. 
The adults were mean and they 

266
00:19:45,500 --> 00:19:48,900
were ugly to him when he went to
school, they ostracize them. 

267
00:19:48,900 --> 00:19:51,900
He had to eat lunch by himself. 
Many of the parents said, what 

268
00:19:51,900 --> 00:19:55,600
on Earth is a boy like that 
doing in our school, with our 

269
00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:59,600
kids at recess, he had to study 
at his desk. 

270
00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:03,700
He was just a loner, he was by 
himself, had no friends, had 

271
00:20:03,700 --> 00:20:09,800
really, no family. 
On Saturday, when his mother 

272
00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:13,600
took him into town, the adults 
gave him disapproving comments 

273
00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:16,600
and glares. 
Made her feel small and made him

274
00:20:16,600 --> 00:20:19,400
feel even smaller and 
insignificant. 

275
00:20:19,400 --> 00:20:22,900
It was a tough existence one day
he gets word that a young 

276
00:20:22,900 --> 00:20:27,500
preacher had moved into their 
Community, a new preacher in the

277
00:20:27,500 --> 00:20:30,900
Hills there of Tennessee. 
And been Hooper started hearing 

278
00:20:30,900 --> 00:20:34,400
about what a great preacher he 
was and he was curious and he 

279
00:20:34,408 --> 00:20:37,900
would go and he would sit in and
he would listen he go down to 

280
00:20:38,100 --> 00:20:42,300
That little building nestled 
into the hills of the Smoky 

281
00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:46,100
Mountains and he would listen, 
he would always arrive late and 

282
00:20:46,100 --> 00:20:48,600
he would leave early as to avoid
the crowd. 

283
00:20:48,700 --> 00:20:52,000
But one week, even though he 
kept going back over and over 

284
00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:55,100
again. 
He got so caught up in the 

285
00:20:55,100 --> 00:20:58,300
sermon that he lost track of 
time and there he was found 

286
00:20:58,300 --> 00:21:01,200
himself with the service, 
dismissed surrounded by 

287
00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:04,700
everybody. 
And all of the sudden he feels 

288
00:21:04,700 --> 00:21:07,900
these hands on his neck as 
shoulder. 

289
00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:11,800
Turns around and there, he was 
staring right in the face of 

290
00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:15,300
that preacher. 
And the preacher asked him a 

291
00:21:15,300 --> 00:21:18,600
question that he wished. 
It was his worst nightmare, he 

292
00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:22,200
was just wanting to disappear. 
If the preacher said whose boy 

293
00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:27,200
are you And he didn't know what 
to say. 

294
00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:34,600
The preacher, no doubt. 
Detecting the situation. 

295
00:21:36,700 --> 00:21:42,000
Began to smile. 
And he says, I know. 

296
00:21:43,900 --> 00:21:49,500
I know the family you belong to.
The resemblance is unmistakable.

297
00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:54,100
You're a member of the family of
God. 

298
00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:01,400
That's quite an inheritance boy 
and he slapped him on the back 

299
00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:04,800
side and said now go live up to 
your inheritance. 

300
00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:15,900
And Ben Hooper said he said. 
It was that day that he was 

301
00:22:15,900 --> 00:22:21,000
elected. 
Governor twice. 

302
00:22:22,500 --> 00:22:25,400
The state of Tennessee because 
it was on that day. 

303
00:22:26,700 --> 00:22:34,000
That he began to see himself. 
From a different point of view. 

304
00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:39,000
It's not who our parents are 
that. 

305
00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:41,900
Who we are her statement the 
other day? 

306
00:22:42,200 --> 00:22:45,200
We don't, we don't come from our
parents. 

307
00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:48,200
We just come through them. 
We come from God. 

308
00:22:49,500 --> 00:22:51,500
And who we are and who we choose
to be. 

309
00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:56,100
It's ultimately up to us. 
If we're wise, we will take the 

310
00:22:56,100 --> 00:22:58,100
good and we will learn and build
on it. 

311
00:22:58,700 --> 00:23:03,100
And if we're wise, we will take 
the bad and we will, we will. 

312
00:23:04,500 --> 00:23:09,600
Learn from it. 
Emerson was 100% right when he 

313
00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:14,100
said what lies behind us and 
what lies before us are tiny 

314
00:23:14,100 --> 00:23:17,100
matters. 
Compared to what lies within us.

315
00:23:18,500 --> 00:23:22,500
I read about a study that was 
done. 

316
00:23:24,300 --> 00:23:30,700
On two young ladies who were 
grown in growing up, raised in 

317
00:23:30,700 --> 00:23:34,900
the same environment by an 
abusive alcoholic father. 

318
00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:42,200
And they were Setting down 
different points, different 

319
00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:49,500
times and the researcher was 
trying to kind of do a case 

320
00:23:49,500 --> 00:23:55,700
study of the situation, both of 
them lived in the same ordeal, 

321
00:23:55,700 --> 00:23:59,800
same situation, but one of them 
grew up and became an abusive 

322
00:23:59,800 --> 00:24:06,200
alcoholic just like her father. 
The other one grew up and became

323
00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:10,500
a successful, professional 
lawyer actually. 

324
00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:16,000
And the researcher interviewing 
them, both ask the same 

325
00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:21,400
question. 
He asked the lady, who was an 

326
00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:24,800
abusive alcoholic. 
Why do you think you are the way

327
00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:27,900
you are? 
And she said, because my father 

328
00:24:27,900 --> 00:24:31,400
was an alcoholic. 
What do you expect? 

329
00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:40,400
she asked and he asked that the 
lawyer Given your circumstance. 

330
00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:45,600
Why do you think you turned out 
so Successfully. 

331
00:24:46,500 --> 00:24:50,300
And her answer was because my 
dad was an alcoholic. 

332
00:24:52,300 --> 00:24:57,800
What would you expect? 
Some people use their 

333
00:24:57,800 --> 00:25:00,000
circumstance as stumbling 
blocks. 

334
00:25:01,500 --> 00:25:06,500
And others as stepping stones. 
Do you know, the ultimate 

335
00:25:06,500 --> 00:25:11,400
decision of what kind of person 
you will turn out to be the 

336
00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:15,000
choices that you make? 
If you are being raised by her 

337
00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:17,400
grandmother, that's Godly. 
That's wonderful. 

338
00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:21,100
Take advantage of that. 
Soak it up, Live It Up, enjoy 

339
00:25:21,100 --> 00:25:27,200
it. 
Don't take for granted. maybe 

340
00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:33,100
you being raised in a situation 
that Isn't so pleasant. 

341
00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:38,100
You know, the Bible doesn't talk
about God having grandchildren. 

342
00:25:41,100 --> 00:25:46,000
Even notice that. 
It only speaks of children of 

343
00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:49,500
God. 
The reason the reason I suppose 

344
00:25:49,500 --> 00:25:53,900
it's because God expects every 
person to have their own faith, 

345
00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:59,100
their own relationship with him.
It's not secondhand and the out 

346
00:25:59,100 --> 00:26:03,000
may come a time when you have to
you may be living off of the 

347
00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:05,900
faith of someone else, but 
eventually you're going to have 

348
00:26:05,900 --> 00:26:12,000
to make it your own. 
Develop our own The proverb that

349
00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:15,000
was so popular popular in the 
land of Israel, the children 

350
00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:17,900
have eat or the fathers have 
eaten, sour grapes but the 

351
00:26:17,908 --> 00:26:21,800
children's teeth are set on 
edge, they were casting the 

352
00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:24,300
blame, they were Shifting the 
responsibility and God said 

353
00:26:24,300 --> 00:26:27,700
enough of that. 
You will no longer use this 

354
00:26:27,700 --> 00:26:32,000
proverb in Israel. 
Everyone is responsible for 

355
00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:38,500
their own personal decision. 
Now I said five illustrations. 

356
00:26:38,900 --> 00:26:44,500
Here's the fourth. he shifts now
from talking about this 

357
00:26:44,500 --> 00:26:49,800
generational, To this 
situational. 

358
00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:55,800
Where this wicked man. 
Lives a wicked life. 

359
00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:59,600
But some how some way he 
changes. 

360
00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:04,600
Now, listen, if a wicked man 
turns from him from all his 

361
00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:09,500
sins, which he has committed 
keeps all my statutes and does. 

362
00:27:09,500 --> 00:27:12,900
What is lawful and right? 
He shall surely live. 

363
00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:15,500
He shall not die. 
Here's a wicked, man. 

364
00:27:16,500 --> 00:27:22,100
That changes he repents and God 
says He's going to live. 

365
00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:26,700
He's not going to die. 
None of the transgressive 

366
00:27:26,700 --> 00:27:29,500
aggressions, which he has 
committed, shall be remembered 

367
00:27:29,500 --> 00:27:32,200
against him. 
All those sins that he's 

368
00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:35,700
committed all in his life, he 
turns to me. 

369
00:27:35,700 --> 00:27:37,900
God says, I'm not going to 
remember those things. 

370
00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:44,200
What a blessing. 
What a wonderful thing that is. 

371
00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:51,500
That you see a man. who can 
change and God will recognize 

372
00:27:51,500 --> 00:27:56,500
and judge him not based upon his
past. 

373
00:27:57,800 --> 00:28:01,200
But upon his present. 
And the fifth exhibit. 

374
00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:04,000
Illustration is the flipside of 
that. 

375
00:28:04,900 --> 00:28:09,000
And that is a Godly, Man. 
Who changes? 

376
00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:14,300
Just as it's possible for a 
wicked man to turn from his sin.

377
00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:18,500
It's actually possible for a 
righteous man to turn from his 

378
00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:25,000
righteousness and this is the 
point rather long longer verse 

379
00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:29,500
24, when a righteous man turns 
away from his righteousness and 

380
00:28:29,500 --> 00:28:31,400
commits iniquity and does 
according to all the 

381
00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:34,500
Abominations that the wicked men
does, shall he live? 

382
00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:38,700
So for a righteous man, turns 
and does what the Wicked Man 

383
00:28:38,700 --> 00:28:40,700
does? 
Is he going to be Better. 

384
00:28:40,900 --> 00:28:43,000
She going to live. 
Not. 

385
00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:47,200
So all the righteousness which 
he has done, shall not be 

386
00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:49,300
remembered. 
Here's the flip side. 

387
00:28:49,500 --> 00:28:55,100
Just as the sin will not be 
remembered against that Wicked 

388
00:28:55,100 --> 00:28:59,400
Man. 
Who repents the righteousness 

389
00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:06,400
will not be remembered. 
For the righteous man who 

390
00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:11,000
Rebels. 
They shall not be remembered 

391
00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:14,500
because of the unfaithfulness of
which he is guilty and the sin 

392
00:29:14,500 --> 00:29:18,200
which he has committed because 
of them, he shall die. 

393
00:29:20,200 --> 00:29:25,500
So, here's the second lesson. 
That's provided here. 

394
00:29:25,500 --> 00:29:29,200
Each individual is responsible. 
Not only for their personal 

395
00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:35,100
decision, personal condition. 
But their present spiritual 

396
00:29:35,900 --> 00:29:41,000
condition. not so much based 
upon what you have done in the 

397
00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:47,100
past, but what you do In the 
present. 

398
00:29:48,300 --> 00:29:51,000
Now, in a sense that is 
extremely encouraging. 

399
00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:57,100
But it is also. 
Extremely disconcerting. 

400
00:29:59,500 --> 00:30:03,000
It can be disturbing to think 
that a person might very well 

401
00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:06,500
live many years as a faithful 
and loyal servant of God and for

402
00:30:06,500 --> 00:30:10,000
some inconceivable reason decide
they're going to turn and do 

403
00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:13,400
what they want and not live that
way anymore. 

404
00:30:13,400 --> 00:30:17,100
God tells us if a righteous man 
turns from God, God will not 

405
00:30:17,100 --> 00:30:21,200
remember all of those righteous 
Deeds, you know, sometimes we 

406
00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:26,600
hear somebody say the expression
resting on your laurels. 

407
00:30:27,400 --> 00:30:31,800
You know that the ancient 
Olympiad where they would, they 

408
00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:34,200
would run the race and they 
would be given a crown. 

409
00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:37,800
They would be basically given a 
crown of laurels, you know, 

410
00:30:37,800 --> 00:30:40,800
this, this Shrubbery that would 
be placed on their brow. 

411
00:30:41,500 --> 00:30:47,300
And so these successful Olympic 
athletes would boast that all of

412
00:30:47,300 --> 00:30:50,400
the trophies, they would be 
resting upon their Laurels, 

413
00:30:50,400 --> 00:30:53,300
their successes and their 
victories of the past. 

414
00:30:54,300 --> 00:30:56,800
And if we're not careful, we can
do that. 

415
00:30:57,200 --> 00:31:00,500
Thinking of all of the success 
and all that, we've done all of 

416
00:31:00,500 --> 00:31:05,600
the sacrifice, all that we've 
lived and given up we rest on 

417
00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:08,100
that. 
And then we give up, can't do 

418
00:31:08,100 --> 00:31:12,500
that and maybe you've lived a 
life for the Lord for years and 

419
00:31:12,500 --> 00:31:15,500
years. 
You're not done yet, you're not 

420
00:31:15,500 --> 00:31:18,000
through yet. 
You can't give in. 

421
00:31:18,100 --> 00:31:20,700
Can't give up. 
Can't sit down, can't fall down.

422
00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:24,100
Can't turn back. 
Keep going. 

423
00:31:24,600 --> 00:31:28,900
Keep moving when a righteous man
turns? 

424
00:31:32,100 --> 00:31:36,600
Away from his righteousness, 
commits iniquity and dies in it.

425
00:31:36,900 --> 00:31:40,200
This is what we're talking about
the present State. 

426
00:31:40,500 --> 00:31:43,400
When you die in it. 
It is because of the iniquity, 

427
00:31:43,400 --> 00:31:45,700
which he has done that, he dies 
again. 

428
00:31:45,700 --> 00:31:48,500
What a wicked man. 
Turns from the wickedness, which

429
00:31:48,500 --> 00:31:50,900
he commits and does. 
What is lawful in his, right? 

430
00:31:50,900 --> 00:31:56,200
He preserves himself. 
Ally this live, this refutes, 

431
00:31:56,200 --> 00:32:00,000
the idea that once you're saved,
you're always saved a righteous 

432
00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:03,800
man can so turn away as to be 
lost. 

433
00:32:03,800 --> 00:32:08,400
If he dies in it, he will be 
lost. 

434
00:32:08,400 --> 00:32:13,700
He Ecclesiastes, 11 verse 13 or 
three, I believe in a very 

435
00:32:13,708 --> 00:32:19,100
poetic fashion Solomon. 
Says if a tree falls in to the 

436
00:32:19,100 --> 00:32:23,200
South or the North in the place 
where the tree falls, there it 

437
00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:26,900
shall I'll lie, the state. 
This is a figurative. 

438
00:32:26,900 --> 00:32:31,200
This is a metaphor for death, 
the state in which you fall the 

439
00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:36,900
state in which you die that 
seals the fate and will be 

440
00:32:37,500 --> 00:32:40,100
judgment, will be based upon 
that present. 

441
00:32:41,300 --> 00:32:44,900
Condition. 
Yes, the Judgment of our soul 

442
00:32:44,900 --> 00:32:48,800
will be based upon the present 
condition of our relationship 

443
00:32:48,800 --> 00:32:52,800
with God. 
Be thou faithful unto death and 

444
00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:58,600
I will give thee a crown of 
righteousness, Revelation 20 

445
00:32:58,800 --> 00:33:01,900
verse 10, be thou faithful, how 
long unto death. 

446
00:33:02,200 --> 00:33:07,300
And yes, that has a persecution 
context be faithful even in the 

447
00:33:07,300 --> 00:33:11,800
face of death by persecution or 
sacrifice. 

448
00:33:12,800 --> 00:33:16,600
And if it meant that certainly, 
it means be faithful until all 

449
00:33:16,600 --> 00:33:21,900
of your life is over. 
And so we have here, five 

450
00:33:21,900 --> 00:33:27,400
illustrations to lessons, the 
first reminds us that we're 

451
00:33:27,408 --> 00:33:30,100
going to be judged by our 
personal condition. 

452
00:33:30,900 --> 00:33:34,100
And the second reminds us that 
we're going to be judged based 

453
00:33:34,100 --> 00:33:37,300
upon our present condition and 
here's the conclusion. 

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Therefore whenever you hear the 
word therefore read it. 

455
00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:44,800
It's there for a reason, right? 
Hermeneutics want to want. 

456
00:33:45,600 --> 00:33:49,100
It's there for a reason, it 
connects Doctrine with Duty. 

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00:33:49,100 --> 00:33:55,100
Usually, here's the duty, based 
upon everything, we've seen all 

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00:33:55,100 --> 00:34:00,200
that we've learned there for I 
will judge you. 

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00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:03,100
O House of Israel. 
I will judge you. 

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00:34:03,600 --> 00:34:05,600
Don't worry about so much about 
what your dad did, what your 

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00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:11,199
father did. 
I will judge you o House of 

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00:34:11,199 --> 00:34:12,500
Israel. 
Everyone. 

463
00:34:12,500 --> 00:34:16,500
According to his ways, says the 
Lord God. 

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00:34:16,699 --> 00:34:20,600
What do we do? 
Repent, and turn from all your 

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00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:23,400
transgressions. 
So that iniquity will not be 

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00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:27,199
your ruin cast away from you. 
All the transgressions, which 

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00:34:27,199 --> 00:34:30,199
you have committed and get 
yourself a new heart, and a new 

468
00:34:30,199 --> 00:34:32,699
spirit for. 
Why should I for, why should you

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00:34:32,699 --> 00:34:36,300
die o House of Israel for? 
I have no pleasure in the death 

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00:34:36,300 --> 00:34:40,100
of one who dies says the Lord. 
Therefore turn. 

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00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:49,000
And live. 
No longer using that proverb in 

472
00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:54,400
Israel turn and live take 
responsibility. 

473
00:34:55,800 --> 00:35:01,600
And you will be judged upon your
present and personal condition. 

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00:35:01,600 --> 00:35:05,500
Lesson is yours this afternoon. 
If you're here and you've never 

475
00:35:05,500 --> 00:35:08,600
obeyed the Gospel of Jesus 
Christ, we invite you to come 

476
00:35:09,300 --> 00:35:13,500
believing in Jesus as the Son of
God repenting of your sins, 

477
00:35:13,500 --> 00:35:17,400
repent, turn and live. 
You know that idea of 

478
00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:21,100
repentance. 
It's a it's a simple idea it's 

479
00:35:21,100 --> 00:35:28,200
more of a complex concept but it
Elves with the change of it 

480
00:35:28,200 --> 00:35:32,600
begins there, the change of your
mind, how you do, how you view 

481
00:35:32,600 --> 00:35:38,800
things and then what you do. 
And so repent for God, commands,

482
00:35:38,800 --> 00:35:42,600
all men everywhere to repent and
confess what you believe 

483
00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:45,400
concerning the Lord, Jesus 
Christ, with the heart man, 

484
00:35:45,400 --> 00:35:48,200
believes unto righteousness, and
with the mouth confession is 

485
00:35:48,200 --> 00:35:51,000
made unto salvation. 
If you believe that I am, he 

486
00:35:51,100 --> 00:35:54,300
unless you believe that I am, he
you will die in your sins, Jesus

487
00:35:54,300 --> 00:35:57,400
said, and then upon That 
confession be baptized to have 

488
00:35:57,400 --> 00:36:00,300
your sins washed away. 
If you have taken those steps 

489
00:36:00,300 --> 00:36:02,600
but you need the prayers of the 
church we invite. 

490
00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:06,800
You will pray with you and for 
you just simply come tonight 

491
00:36:06,800 --> 00:36:10,600
this afternoon while we stand in
while we, we thank you for 

492
00:36:10,600 --> 00:36:15,400
listening to our podcast, put on
by the Church of Christ at 22:15

493
00:36:15,400 --> 00:36:18,300
plans. 
Road in Bakersfield, if you 

494
00:36:18,300 --> 00:36:21,500
would like any additional 
information or you would like to

495
00:36:21,500 --> 00:36:24,600
receive a free Bible 
correspondence course by mail. 

496
00:36:25,200 --> 00:36:29,100
Please email us at info at True 
Church of Christ 

497
00:36:29,100 --> 00:36:33,000
Bakersfield.com. 
Our service times are on Sundays

498
00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:39,500
at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 
Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. please 

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00:36:39,500 --> 00:36:42,800
make plans to join us. 
We would love for you to be our 

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00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:43,700
honored guest