WHY WILL YE DIE?

Ezekiel 33:7-11

  1. Intro.
    1. "it is appointed unto man once to die" whether we want to or not
    2. why will a man die in sin, when God is so willing to forgive
    3. God made Ezekiel responsible for warning the people of the dangers of sin
    4. part of Ezekiel’s message was to assure the people of God’s willingness to save
  2. a solemn fact: many are dying in a wicked & sinful state - "death of the wicked" - 11
    1. sin in the sight of God is wickedness
    2. God has a far different view of sin than we do
    3. sin is what brings death
      1. sin has no redeeming qualities
      2. no good can ever came from sin
  3. a blessed assurance - "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked" - 11
    1. assurance of His love
      1. because of God’s love for us He does not want us to die
      2. because of sin He can have no pleasure in our company
      3. because of God’s love for us He devised a plan to save us
    2. assurance of His willingness to save us
  4. an only alternative - "turn from your evil ways" - 11
    1. we need to turn because our ways are evil
      1. our evil way is the way of death
      2. this is the way in which we are all going - "all have sinned"
    2. we need to turn because life is in God
      1. God is the only source of life
      2. Jesus said, "I am come that ye might have life"
      3. in our sinful state we are walking away from Him
  5. an urgent appeal - "turn ye, turn ye"
    1. this is a cry of warning - turn or burn
      1. He knows the awful estate into which the ungodly are daily going
      2. "how shall ye escape if ye neglect so great salvation" - Hebrews 2:3
      3. God is the need and refuge of every sinner
    2. this is a voice of mercy
      1. He died so that we might have life
      2. God is pleading and begging with tears
    3. this is a voice of agony
      1. God cannot make us turn, but He wants us to
      2. God does not want us to perish, but at this point He is helpless
      3. God has done everything He can to save us, but now it is up to us
        1. the cross, the church, and the Bible are all road block on the road to hell
        2. if we die it will be our own doing
      4. our spiritual & everlasting condition is placed in our power - John 1:12
        1. God has no pleasure in the death of those who die
        2. if a man will not turn, he must & will die
        3. death is not God’s choice nor is it His will
      5. whosoever will turn can be saved