21 "But if the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness , he shall surely live ; he shall not die . 22 " All his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his righteousness which he has practiced , he will live . 23 " Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked ," declares the Lord GOD , "rather than that he should turn from his ways and live ? 24 "But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness , commits iniquity and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does , will he live ? All his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his treachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed ; for them he will die . 25 "Yet you say , ' The way of the Lord is not right .' Hear now , O house of Israel ! Is My way not right ? Is it not your ways that are not right ? 26 "When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness , commits iniquity and dies because of it, for his iniquity which he has committed he will die . 27 "Again, when a wicked man turns away from his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness , he will save his life . 28 "Because he considered and turned away from all his transgressions which he had committed , he shall surely live ; he shall not die . 29 "But the house of Israel says , 'The way of the Lord is not right .' Are My ways not right , O house of Israel ? Is it not your ways that are not right ?
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ezekiel 18:21-29
Commentary on Ezekiel 18:21-29
(Read Ezekiel 18:21-29)
The wicked man would be saved, if he turned from his evil ways. The true penitent is a true believer. None of his former transgressions shall be mentioned unto him, but in the righteousness which he has done, as the fruit of faith and the effect of conversion, he shall surely live. The question is not whether the truly righteous ever become apostates. It is certain that many who for a time were thought to be righteous, do so, while 28 is the beginning and progress of repentance. True believers watch and pray, and continue to the end, and they are saved. In all our disputes with God, he is in the right, and we are in the wrong.