Was just reading this passage today: Ezekiel 33:13. When I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, but he trusts in his own righteousness and commits iniquity, none of his righteous works shall be remembered; but because of the iniquity that he has committed, he shall die.
If you're thinking you have to keep the law, and think you are righteous by doing it, what happens when you sin?
It's taken me some time to finally grasp, THANKS ENTIRELY TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, that by focusing on trying to NOT sin, instead of focusing on Jesus and loving everybody, was causing me to sin MORE.
THAT is THE freedom and light burden and easy yoke Jesus was talking about. Praise Jesus!!
You need to take the text in context see what God is saying here. You are using a sound-bite from the text to justify not being obedient to the faith by repenting and keeping the commandments. You are misrepresenting the text very much. Here is the whole text:
Ezekiel 33:
11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? 12Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth. 13When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.14Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; 15If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall NOT die. 16None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.17[FONT=Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal. [/FONT]
18When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.[FONT=Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] [/FONT]
19[FONT=Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
But if the [/FONT]
wicked turn from his wickedness[FONT=Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
, and [/FONT]
do[FONT=Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
that which is[/FONT]
lawful and right[FONT=Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
, he[/FONT]
shall live thereby[FONT=Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
. [/FONT]
20[FONT=Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will [/FONT]
judge [FONT=Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
you every one [/FONT]
after his ways.
Yes, Jesus Christ's yoke is easy and burden is light when we are forgiven and walk in the newness of life. Those who's yoke is hard and burden is heavy are for the ones walking in transgression.
John 8:31 31[FONT=Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, [/FONT]
If [FONT=Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
ye [/FONT]
continue [FONT=Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
in my word, [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]then are ye my [/FONT]disciples indeed;[FONT=Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] [/FONT]32[FONT=Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you [/FONT]free[FONT=Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif].[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]v 34 [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. [/FONT]
35[FONT=Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: [/FONT]
but the Son abideth ever. 36If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
You are not free indeed if you are still on in the bond of iniquity being a servant to your sins. A righteous man falls seven times, but what makes him righteous is that he rises and is not a slave to sin.
This is the solution to when we commit sin:
1 John 1:9 [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][/FONT]
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.