Ezekiel 33:14
Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;
When God tells the wicked that he will surely die, the sentence is not fixed, for if he turns from his sin and does what is lawful and right he will surely live and not die. Turning is shown in righteous doing, in restoring the pledge, giving back what was taken by robbery, walking in the statutes of life, and committing iniquity no more. When he so turns, none of the sins he committed will be mentioned against him, but they are fully and abundantly pardoned and blotted out. The promise is conditional upon repentance and forsaking of sin, for God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked but takes great pleasure in those who turn to live. The word is committed to watchmen set to speak from His mouth and warn the wicked, who must faithfully give the warning in love and will give an account, while hearers must receive the message, search the Word for themselves, and repent and be converted rather than excuse themselves or accuse His messengers.
Life Promised on Repentance
The sentence of death spoken against the wicked is not fixed and unchangeable, for if he turns from his sin and does what is lawful and right he shall surely live and shall not die.
That turning is proved in righteous action, by restoring the pledge, giving back again what was robbed or taken, walking in the statutes of life, and committing iniquity no more.
When he so turns, none of the sins that he committed shall be mentioned unto him or counted against him, and he lives.
The promise is conditional, and is met only by repentance and the forsaking of sin.
God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but takes great pleasure in those who turn from sin.
The assurance given is full and abundant pardon that blots out the past of the repentant sinner, to be believed and taken into the heart as broad and deep, and to be held up when the enemy seeks to steal hope and tempt to give up.
Each person is judged by his own ways and stands responsible before God for his own obedience, with no excuse to be drawn from a neighbor's example.
The same principle works in reverse, that a righteous person who turns to iniquity dies for it.
Warning and Watchmen's Duty
Ezekiel 33:14 stands in a passage about watching for souls, where the word is committed to chosen instrumentalities set as watchmen to the house of Israel to hear the word at God's mouth and warn the wicked from Him, doing on earth the work Christ would do in person. Those set as watchmen are accountable for giving warning and reproof, knowing they will give an account for souls. Those who preach must faithfully deliver that warning that the wicked shall surely die yet may live by turning, and must help church members obey God's Word. Warnings and reproof are to be given in love to protect souls in peril.
Ministers who entertain error and preach false doctrine contrary to a plain Thus saith the Lord, who warn the people against doing what God told them to do and stand in the way of obedience, bring ruin on themselves proportionate to their misleading influence. The blood of souls perishing through their unfaithfulness is upon their heads. The warning must be respected and the message received, for rejecting it makes it ineffective for the hearer. The people must not set themselves up to think evil or speak evil of God's messengers, nor to find fault with and accuse them, since complaint against His messengers often amounts to complaint against God.
Hearers who let themselves be deceived are not excused for committing their souls to the minister instead of searching God's Word for themselves, and the minister cannot pay ransom for them. Christ gave His life to save them and to give another trial to make return to loyalty possible, while those who take Satan's side to justify sin must bear the penalty of sin. The chapter applies this call to church members to examine conduct, correct evil, repent, and be converted. The warning is personal, to be read carefully and applied to the heart by the Holy Spirit by letting Him come in and abide, expelling Satan from the soul temple, and opening the door of the heart to Jesus in repentance to enjoy the richest blessing.