I’m Dennis Finnan, host and speaker on the World, the Word & You! Broadcast and in a moment we’ll talk about what the Old Testament called BLOOD GUILTINESS. Stay tuned…

…Some time ago I was preaching at the church I serve on the need for believers in Christ, to take seriously the call and command of the Lord Jesus Christ to be an active witness for their faith. As always the best illustrations to make a point in preaching, is to use oneself, if applicable, in a sermon. I did so, in that in my early days after being saved, I firmly believe the Holy Spirit was urging me to witness to a co-worker who was retiring. I procrastinated, and didn’t. What followed was, the man who just retired, well a week later he had a massive heart attack and died. How my heart sank when I realized I had failed the Lord and this man. If he wasn’t saved from His sins, I knew from the Bible he perished in Hell for all eternity. As such,  I stressed to the congregation that I was, in effect, guilty in part for his perishing, and in a very real sense God would hold me somewhat accountable.

Well, I knew when I said that that some honest God fearing Christians might not agree with me and sure enough one confronted me after the sermon to question my viewpoint. Now I say all this because this very issue is a very misunderstood area of Scripture, that easily can be questioned and even denied. It is a fearful thing to consider that we might be guilty of another’s death, especially his or her eternal death. I believe this is why many wonderful Christians reject such thoughts when the possibility is proposed.

Well, after my second musical moment, I share with you why I believe what I shared that night in ministry is a biblical truth for us to behold and consider even to this day…
…In the Old Testament, there are a number of Scripture passages that are very troubling for what they imply. Many feel that Old Testament truths mostly do not apply to New Testament Christians. While I agree with that in principle, I also believe the whole Bible is God’s Word for every believer of every age, and with careful application to the Dispensational Age in which one lives, we can sort out that which applies and does not. Permit me to do that with the following texts found in the Old Testament. We read,

Ezek 3:1,11, 17-21 (NIV)  And he [God the Spirit] said to me, "Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the house of Israel… 11 Go now… Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says,' whether they listen or fail to listen…" 17 "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 18 When I say to a wicked man, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 19 But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself. 20 "Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die. Since you did not warn him, he will die for his sin. The righteous things he did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 21 But if you do warn the righteous man not to sin and he does not sin, he will surely live because he took warning, and you will have saved yourself."

Now without a doubt, some certain things need to be confirmed here about the text.

1.     GOD HAD APPOINTED EZEKIEL TO BE HIS SPOKESPERSON (Ezek 3:17)

2.     GOD HAD GIVEN EZEKIEL THE WORD OF GOD, SO HE WOULD PROCLAIM IT TO THE REBELLIOUS AND DISOBEDIENT PEOPLE TO WHOM HE WAS SENT (Ezek. 3:1)

3.     GOD SAID TO EZEKIEL HE WAS COMMANDED TO TELL THEM OF GOD’S JUDGMENTS COMING AND THE PROMISE OF FORGIVENESS, IF THEY REPENTED (Ezek 3:1,21)

4.     GOD WARNED EZEKIEL THAT IF HE FAILED TO WITNESS THESE TRUTHS FROM GOD’S WORD TO THEM, GOD WOULD HOLD HIM ACCOUNTABLE, ALONG WITH THEM, FOR THEIR DISOBEDIENCE (Ezek. 3:19-20).

Now most Christians today say that’s Old Testament! Really, what in these texts refers to Israel’s ceremonial or Dispensational relationships to God? Nothing my friend. God is simply saying to Ezekiel, you are my spokesperson, you are my voice, you are the one I’ve appointed and called to minister the Word of God to rebellious people who are under God’s disciplinary judgment. Yes, God demanded that Ezekiel speak words to them for saving them or condemning them. So in light of this importance to God, the LORD God also warned Ezekiel that his failure to obey would have serious consequences for the ones who didn’t receive God’s message through him, and for Ezekiel himself. God explicitly said, listen again…

Ezek 3:18-20 (NIV)  When I say to a wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 19 But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself. 20 “Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die. Since you did not warn him, he will die for his sin. The righteous things he did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for his blood.

In the Old Testament we come across the phrase “blood guiltiness.” The term blood was a synonym for life and or death. To shed “blood,” was to kill. When God said He would bring a judgment of death on an individual, God said He would hold all those accountable in bringing this person to this state of judgment. Now what does this mean? Well first of all,

God is not saying that people die or go to Hell because of the guilt of others. On the contrary, God’s Word carefully states no one goes to Hell except for their own guilt and sin.

Rom 1:18-20 (NIV)  The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Yes, Hell, the place of eternal judgment, awaits every sinner not because someone made him or her sin, or failed to stop him or her from sinning, but because of their own will, nature and choice. We are not sinners because we sin. Rather, we sin because we are sinners in thoughts, words and deeds and we love it to be so. God has spoken about this in,

Ezek 18:20 (NIV)  The soul who sins is the one who will die.

Rom 3:23 (NIV)  “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Rom 6:23 (NIV)  “For the wages of sin is death….”

This is clear in the Old Testament and the New. Yet we discover God appointed Ezekiel as a “watchman.” Now what did this mean? Well, Ezekiel's ministry to Israel was to be a divinely appointed "watchman," one who not only warned the nation, but also issued directed warnings to individuals. Every walled city had a watchman to insure its safety and security. It was the duty of the watchman to scan the horizon and sound the alarm for any impending danger. A man measures his responsibility by his knowledge and opportunities.

Thus, the "watchman" carried an awesome responsibility. The warning was not only of physical death, but also of spiritual doom. The duties of the “spiritual” watchman was Ezekiel’s calling. So, the responsibility of a watchman to warn of a coming enemy was well understood, as well as the guilt of manslaughter if he failed to warn his people who died as a result. So, in this passage the same principle is applied to warning of moral and spiritual issues.  In the same manner, each sinner of course is responsible for his own sin, the prophet, preacher or witness who is negligent in his duty to proclaim the warning message becomes, in God’s sight, a manslayer when God takes that person’s life. The responsibility of the prophet is serious. This is why James writes in the New Testament,

James 3:1 (NIV)  Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

The prophet or preacher is responsible for that person’s death in the sense of Gen. 9:5.

Gen 9:5 (NIV)  And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man.

Moreover, I feel the Apostle Paul had these passages in Ezekiel in view when he wrote,

Acts 18:6 (NIV)  But when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clear of my responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

Acts 20:26 (NIV)  Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men.

Nothing can be clearer than the application of God’s word that tells us of this “blood guiltiness” God’s appointed servants may be held accountable for; if we are silent to declare God’s Word for forgiveness of sins or judgment of the unrepentant sinner. Why even for preachers today, there is such a warning. Again listen,

Heb 13:17 (NIV)  Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.

Certainly, the consequence for such unfaithfulness on the preacher’s part do not include Hell by any means, for Christ paid once for all for our sins, but it does include divine chastening and loss of eternal reward .

1 Cor 4:1-5 (NIV)  So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

So the point is clear for believers even in this Age of Grace. If we are appointed to declare God’s Word to a lost needy people, to those sinning against the Word of God, we shall be held accountable for failure to speak out and up for Christ. Now the question is are we all commanded to be God’s spokesperson? Well, let’s explore the mission of the church which all who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ are placed into. From the Scriptures I find the Mission of the Church according to the Word of God is,

#1 TO GLORIFY GOD (Rom. 15:6,9; Eph 1:5,12,14,18; 3:21; 2 Thess 1:12).– The Scriptures repeatedly point this out as the primary purpose of the church on earth and for its members. Whatever we do we must do it in conformity to God’s Word and Will.

#2 THE CHURCH IS TO EDIFY & EDUCATE ITSELF (Eph.4:12-16;Col 2:7; 1 Cor. 14:26) – This means we are to be built up, to grow and to become all that God wants us to be through the faithful teaching and study of God’s Word.

#3 WE ARE TO PURIFY OURSELVES (Eph 5:26; John 15:2; 1 Cor 11:32; Heb. 12:10) -  Christ gave Himself for the Church that He might sanctify her and present her before the Father as spotless and pure. The local church and its members are to ever be vigilant to keep itself clear of sin and disobedience, and to carry out any disciplines necessary to maintain that purity of Body.

#4 THE CHURCH IS TO EVANGELIZE THE WORLD (Mat 28:19; Luke 24:46-48; Acts 1:8) – The Scriptures do not direct us to save the world, but to witness to the world God’s Word in our lives and by our mouths. From the New Testament there is no doubt God’s Word tells us that “each one is to reach one!” Everyone is to witness the Word of God as to salvation, eternal life, forgiveness of sins, and the coming wrath for sin called Hell. Perhaps the best command for every believer is found in the words of Jesus as He prepared to ascend back to Heaven following His resurrection unto life,

Mat 28:19-20 (NLT)  Therefore, [as you are going] make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Acts 1:8 (NIV)  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Indeed, I believe the greatest failure of the church today is to see its responsibility to be God’s “watchman.” As Ezekiel was to be that spiritual watchman, and speak up for God among the disobedient within Israel, we today are to speak up regardless of the costs in our world. Failure to do s will bring a greater cost that will be paid by all of us who having God’s Word, fail to speak out when prompted by the Spirit of God. Yes, if anyone goes to Hell for not hearing and responding to God’s call, they go judges solely by their own wicked deeds and rejection of God’s loving truth. But… if we have not witnessed where we should, and we had opportunity and the leading of the Lord especially, God’s Word implies we shall be held accountable for their spiritual loss.

Sound hard? Sound unbelievable? I can’t for the life of me find any Scripture to the contrary. Now back to Ezekiel. God warned him he was to speak out as God’s appointed watchman, but despite his great responsibility, Ezekiel first was shut up by God and had to wait for God-given opportunities. Likewise, we are not called to “buttonhole,” every person we see whom we believe does not know Christ as His or her Savior and Lord. We also need to be sensitive to the Spirit’s leading in witnessing. Sometimes we need to be silent. However, most of us are disobediently silent when we ought to be witnessing. Now lastly we read in Ezekiel,

Ezek 3:20-21 (NIV)  “Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die. Since you did not warn him, he will die for his sin. The righteous things he did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 21 But if you do warn the righteous man not to sin and he does not sin, he will surely live because he took warning, and you will have saved yourself.”

Without a doubt, both the wicked and the righteous must accept responsibility for their particular sins and of course, the consequences thereof. The phrase "he will die in his sin," as referring to the righteous man, means that he a believer who sins, shall die "by" or "because of" his sin. The death described is “physical,” and the emphasis is upon the physical consequences of sin. These physical consequences are the same for saved and lost alike. However, note that the wicked man dies "in" or "by" his iniquity or perverseness (v. 19). This verse does not present a doctrine of "falling from grace." The righteous man who turns to sin, as Israel did, does not lose his salvation, but he may forfeit his health, reputation, physical life, and finally, his rewards, as the result of sin. Paul the apostle writes about this loss of rewards and says,

1 Cor 3:15 (NIV)  If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

So the point is, will God hold me accountable for failing to witness to others, who might have never heard the Good News about Christ? Yes He will, in the sense that I was disobedient to be the spiritual watchman and warn others of the coming judgment of God for sin. But that accountability refers to my loss of reward in the future life. O friend, if you are a Christian today, how important it is that you and I witness for Christ. That we share the Good News that God became a man, and lived a sinless perfect life to become a qualified substitute sacrifice for the sins of the world. That when Christ died on a cross, God accepted His death as a full payment for the sins of the world. But the truth is, only those who come to God confessing their sins, realizing they are sinners worthy of eternal death, and believe God’s Word that He forgives them through Jesus Christ, can be saved from their sins.

Yes, today my listening friend, I am God’s spiritual watchman, and He has commanded that I tell you that -- unless your are saved from your sins you shall die in them for all eternity. Unless you turn to Christ, recognizing Him as your God and Savior, you shall perish for all eternity. But the Good News is God loves you so much that He died Himself for you to free you of your penalty coming. But you must surrender your heart to God through Jesus Christ. Come to the Savior today, for now is the day, the hour the moment of salvation possibly just for you. Jesus said all that come to Him He will in no way cast out and reject. May God’s good Word and His love through the cross of Christ be seen in your heart, be felt in your soul, and be claimed in your will and spirit today. As Paul said to the Jews he witnessed to long ago I say to you,

Acts 20:26 (NIV)  “Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men [ to whom he witnessed faithfully to].”

May God so bless His word to every heart for Jesus sake…

…Blood guiltiness! It’s a gruesome term, but it aptly refers to the terrible loss all will experience for passing by the Savior of the world, for rejecting God’s Word and loving call to come to Him in full surrender. But that is what may be guilty of, we in the church today who are appointed God’s spiritual watchmen for the world in which we live. May God give us all in the church, more boldness to witness our faith, and may He touch the hearts of sinners to turn from their unrighteousness to the righteousness of Christ who ever lives to make intercession for us. To God be the glory great things He has done!