Lesson 16: God’s Holiness Generates a Reminder, part 9

Ezekiel 18:4 - “Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die.”

We learned in the last lesson that whatever gets the majority of your time and affection IS your god. If that is not the God of the Bible, it is called an idol!

For instance, many people say they worship God, but in reality they spend the majority of time with their sports. Many people get wild and crazy and display all kinds of emotion over a silly game. They paint their faces, get all excited, and scream their voices away. But when it comes to God, they just cannot seem to find time for Him. Even when they do, they show no emotion, they keep their mouth shut and usually are not very excited at all. Therefore, I suggest this makes the sport their god.

Many people say they worship God, but in reality they spend the majority of their time and affection with their body. For instance, many people think nothing about getting up early and daily devoting themselves to a rigorous exercise and a restrictive diet. They buy any book and listen to any tape that guarantees them the perfect body. But when it comes to God they cannot seem to find time for Him. Even when they do, they show no devotion, they refuse to study, and they hate to even think about a spiritual restriction. I suggest this makes their body their god.


Many people say they worship God, but in reality they spend the majority of their time and affection with their possessions. They do not hesitate to commit all their resources to building up that home with all the latest pleasantries, or to sacrifice hour after hour in the blazing heat to get that car to shine like a mirror. But, when it comes to God they do not have time for Him. Even when they do, they show no commitment, share none of their resources, and refuse to sacrifice one hour a week to God. Therefore, I say this makes their possessions their god.

Our verse above teaches us something about the Ten Commandments. God is trying to show us that He is Holy and we are not and we all deserve to die and go to hell for worshiping idols.

No external law can change man's internal heart. There are countless examples of violence and needless death in every country of our world to prove this. Only Jesus, changing one heart at a time, can make a difference.

Psalm 9:9, 17 - "The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble...The wicked shall return to Sheol, all the nations that forget God…"

If we as Christians stop living as true believers in Him, then we fail to be His witnesses for what He longs to do for every person in this lost and dying world. We may think that God will not get around to all these punishments before we have had a chance to live like we want to – after all, He says He is a God of love.

* How does God’s righteousness prove His love?