Ezekiel 33:25, commentary and pictures

Eating with the blood, lifting the eyes to idols, and shedding blood make men unfit to possess the land. The text stands as part of the warning of Ezekiel 33, which is to be carefully studied, especially by those who preach. That chapter is joined to Christ's commission and to the work of serving others through medical missionary labor.

God's government is one of strict personal responsibility, in which no one can obey for another and a neighbor's neglect does not excuse anyone from doing his own duty. Those who allow themselves to be deceived are therefore not excused for failing to search God's Word for themselves and for entrusting their souls to a minister who was not diligent to know the truth, for the minister cannot pay ransom for their souls. Those who take up the responsibility of preaching without prayerfully searching the Scriptures, holding error and preaching false doctrine contrary to a plain Thus saith the Lord, bring ruin upon themselves, with condemnation proportioned to the influence their words and example exerted in leading others into transgression.

One who takes the work of a minister is responsible to help church members obey the Word of the Lord, yet many ministers stand directly in the way of obedience and warn the people against doing what God has told them to do. Every person must give strict account for how his influence was exerted, and the guilt for souls who perish through unfaithfulness will rest upon those who professed to be on the Lord's side while doing the enemy's work and hindering others from receiving God's Word. Christ gave His life to save the deceived, to grant another trial in which return to loyalty is made possible, while those who take Satan's side to justify sin must bear the penalty of sin.