…a wicked person who turns his back on that life of sin and keeps all my statutes, living a just and righteous life, he’ll live, really live. He won’t die. I won’t keep a list of all the things he did wrong. He will live. Do you think I take any pleasure in the death of wicked men and women? Isn’t it my pleasure that they turn around, no longer living wrong but living right—really living? (Ezekiel 18:21-23 MSG); if a bad person turns away from his bad life and starts living a good life, a fair life, he will save his life. Because he faces up to all the wrongs he’s committed and puts them behind him, he will live, really live. He won’t die. (Ezekiel 18:27-28 MSG)
This seems like quite a lot to assimilate but in these
verses God’s message through the prophet Ezekiel is speaking of turning the
course of one’s life around.
Now, this is not an unfamiliar topic, you’ve heard this
before, you’ve even read about it right here in Bethel at Balata but it’s a
good habit to revisit topics from time to time.
God asks, Isn’t it my
pleasure that they turn around, no longer living wrong but living right—really
living?
Turn around, turn one’s back on, turn away from are other
ways of saying “repent”, it’s a play on words that speaks of transformation and
God’s message is very clear.
Too many people are still under the impression that repentance
is only tied to one’s emotions – feelings of guilt and remorse but that’s just the
beginning of it.
Repentance involves the changing of your mind and direction. As Paul said in Romans 12:2,
Don’t copy the behavior and
customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness
in all you do and think. (TLB)
Repentance is transformation because it is a conscious
turning from that life of sin. It’s
purposefully leaving that life behind, completely walking away from it to start
living a good life in order that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and
acceptable and perfect.
This profound transformation, simply expressed, is a life-altering
shift from a self-centred, sin-centred lifestyle to a life that is God-centred
and God-dependent.
The Greek word is “metanoeo” which describes an inner reorientation
toward God, such that the very way a person perceives life itself is
transformed.
solemnly [and wholeheartedly]
testifying to both Jews and Greeks, urging them to turn in repentance to God (ref.
Acts 20:21 AMP)
Here, Paul is saying that repentance
to God is a necessity.
Beloved, in the Amplified version of Matthew 4:17 it is
written,
Jesus began to preach
and say, “Repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past
sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for
your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
You see, repentance was never about your wallowing in guilt
and shame, it’s so much deeper than that, it speaks of a radical, intentional, change
in consciousness.
It is “metanoeo”, a word for which our English language has
no equivalent.
It is a complete transformation of your life, of your mind,
of your direction, of your previous spiritual condition; it is a spiritual
awakening where your new life begins.
Amen †
Shelley Johnson “A play on words: Transformation” © 2026 October 22, 2026
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