Ezekiel 36:25-27
This three verse passage in Ezekiel is an answer to a three verse passage found earlier in the same book. God ordered Israel to change their ways earlier, only to promise to change them from the inside out in this passage. The first is a clear type of Old Covenant philosophy, were man works to change himself by a system of laws and rules, while the second is a picture of the New Covenant, where God does the work and man reaps the benefits.
Look at a sampling of the things that Israel is to do in Ezekiel 18:30-32, “Repent, turn yourselves away from all your transgressions…Cast away from you all your transgressions…make you a new heart, and a new spirit…turn yourselves, and live”. Everything in this passage is the responsibility of the individual. They are to make themselves a “new heart and a new spirit”. How can a man possibly do this? Is God being unfair? Actually, God is showing man that there is no way that he can change himself, thus he will see his need for a redeemer.
Now, take the same type of sampling from our key text, Ezekiel 36:25-27, “I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness…A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you…I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes”. In this passage, God is the one doing all of the work, while we get all of the benefits. Any reference to us doing anything is preceded by “cause”, meaning that whatever we do under the New Covenant we do it because He is working in us.
Paul said, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). God is working in us, so whatever comes out of us is because He has done it first inside of us. We are the beneficiaries of a perfect work; which Christ accomplished for us at the cross.
Before you disqualify the preceding verses in Ezekiel from applying to you because they were written of Israel, remember that Jesus has fulfilled all promises in the Bible and given them to you. Paul wrote, “For all the promises of God in him are yes, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (2 Corinthians 1:20). All promises have been fulfilled in the finished work of Jesus, so they are available to the believer. Do you want these promises? Say, “Amen”!
Do not worry about how you will walk once you accept the perfect love and forgiveness of Jesus. God’s grace causes you to walk better than your works ever will. He will “cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them” (Ezekiel 36:27). He does not mention a daily repetition of those statutes, for that would denote a need to memorize them and apply them on the part of the believer. Whether you know of them or not, the Holy Spirit in you will bring out the fruit of righteousness as you accept His perfect love for you.
You have a new heart and new spirit because Jesus has paid for them, and God has implanted them. You are not who you used to be because of the finished work of Christ on the cross. Rejoice that the promises of God are yours and you belong to Him!
This three verse passage in Ezekiel is an answer to a three verse passage found earlier in the same book. God ordered Israel to change their ways earlier, only to promise to change them from the inside out in this passage. The first is a clear type of Old Covenant philosophy, were man works to change himself by a system of laws and rules, while the second is a picture of the New Covenant, where God does the work and man reaps the benefits.
Look at a sampling of the things that Israel is to do in Ezekiel 18:30-32, “Repent, turn yourselves away from all your transgressions…Cast away from you all your transgressions…make you a new heart, and a new spirit…turn yourselves, and live”. Everything in this passage is the responsibility of the individual. They are to make themselves a “new heart and a new spirit”. How can a man possibly do this? Is God being unfair? Actually, God is showing man that there is no way that he can change himself, thus he will see his need for a redeemer.
Now, take the same type of sampling from our key text, Ezekiel 36:25-27, “I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness…A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you…I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes”. In this passage, God is the one doing all of the work, while we get all of the benefits. Any reference to us doing anything is preceded by “cause”, meaning that whatever we do under the New Covenant we do it because He is working in us.
Paul said, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). God is working in us, so whatever comes out of us is because He has done it first inside of us. We are the beneficiaries of a perfect work; which Christ accomplished for us at the cross.
Before you disqualify the preceding verses in Ezekiel from applying to you because they were written of Israel, remember that Jesus has fulfilled all promises in the Bible and given them to you. Paul wrote, “For all the promises of God in him are yes, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (2 Corinthians 1:20). All promises have been fulfilled in the finished work of Jesus, so they are available to the believer. Do you want these promises? Say, “Amen”!
Do not worry about how you will walk once you accept the perfect love and forgiveness of Jesus. God’s grace causes you to walk better than your works ever will. He will “cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them” (Ezekiel 36:27). He does not mention a daily repetition of those statutes, for that would denote a need to memorize them and apply them on the part of the believer. Whether you know of them or not, the Holy Spirit in you will bring out the fruit of righteousness as you accept His perfect love for you.
You have a new heart and new spirit because Jesus has paid for them, and God has implanted them. You are not who you used to be because of the finished work of Christ on the cross. Rejoice that the promises of God are yours and you belong to Him!
