Ezekiel 33:26
Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbour’s wife: and shall ye possess the land? Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbour’s wife: and shall ye possess the land?
Ezekiel 33 is to be carefully studied because it exposes the guilt of both unfaithful preachers and deceived hearers. Under God's government each person is personally responsible, no one can obey for a neighbor, and another person's neglect does not excuse neglect of one's own duty.
Ezekiel 33:26 condemns those who take up the responsibility of preaching without prayerfully searching the Scriptures, who entertain error and teach false doctrine contrary to a plain Thus saith the Lord. They bring ruin on themselves, with condemnation proportionate to the influence their words and example had in leading men and women into transgression. A minister is responsible to help church members obey the Word of the Lord, yet many stand directly in the way of obedience and warn against doing what God commands. While professing to be on the Lord's side they do on earth the work the enemy of all righteousness did in the heavenly court, hindering others from receiving the Word, so the blood of souls who perish through their unfaithfulness will be on their heads.
Those who allow themselves to be deceived are not excused for committing their souls to a minister and neglecting to search God's Word for themselves. Those who take Satan's side to justify sin must bear the penalty of sin. Christ's gift of His life to grant another trial and make a return to loyalty possible does not remove that penalty without that return.