“But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 22 None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live.
“Turn over a new leaf.” This has nothing to do with autumn leaves. It is an old term for books. Scribes would fill a page with their writing and, turn over a new leaf, a blank page, a new chance to write your story. Even in the old covenant, Israel was given chances to turn over a new leaf. God told Ezekiel to extend this grace that if they turn, God will forget their sins. He will credit them with righteousness, that is, if they were righteous. I think we all know the outcome. They continued their adulterous ways until Babylon took them away.
Here we are in 2021 and it is a very good thing we are in a new covenant. Look at the preceding chapters and you will get your daily allowance of the word, “whore”. The world today is in a similar state to Israel in 600 BC. They live as if God does not exist. They live for themselves and treat others with less and less civility. Elections bring this out in stark detail. Vote for me because the other guy is pure evil. We need to turn over a new leaf and get a new life. Praise the Lord that Jesus Christ died on a cross to give us that chance! Here is our advantage in the new covenant. Because of the righteousness HE has done…
WE shall live!
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church