Repentance
R. L. Cotton, M. A. Ezekiel 18:27-28 Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right… I. HE CONSIDERETH. The blind, hardened man walks about thinking, speaking, acting, without considering how the Almighty God is regarding him, what are to be the consequences of all his thoughts, words, and ways, to what end he is to come. He considers not what he owes to his God, his Maker, his Redeemer, his Sanctifier, his great Benefactor. He considers not that he shall one day "stand before the judgment seat of Christ, to receive the things done in the body," to give account of the manner in which he has "rendered unto God the things which are God's," the honour, the faithful service, the adoring and grateful love which are due to Him from all His rational creatures. Oh what unspeakably great and glorious things are often poured about the ears of hardened people, without making the least impression on their hearts! Divine justice, creating, redeeming love, the death of Christ the Son of God, the coming of the Holy Ghost, the grand events of the judgment day, heaven, hell, eternity, such things as fully comprehended would fill the whole soul of man, and make him stand motionless with admiration and amazement. See an awakened man, a man "whose heart God hath touched." The terrible voice of the most just judgment of God has reached him. It has pierced his soul. It has roused him from his deadly lethargy. It has made him think. He exercises his thoughts upon his condition and his prospects. His life is brought before him. He sees how he has lived without God in the world. His sins now begin to appear to him in an awful light. He stands amazed at his dreadful situation. He considereth. How he is to escape the wrath to come. How he is to be restored to the favour of his offended God. How he is to master his sinful nature. How he is to acquire the faith and love, the "holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." All his heart is now engaged in those great considerations; and so vast, so overwhelming they appear, that everything else seems a trifle compared with them. He considers that God is even yet his Maker, that He may still have a regard to the work of His hands; that He has indeed given His Son, that He might be merciful to him. Then he falls down with such feelings as he never before experienced before his God, and pours out of the fulness of his heart confessions of sin, cries for mercy, hopes of pardon, repetitions of God's promises, prayers for grace and a change of heart, and resolutions of amendment. II. HE TURNETH AWAY FROM ALL HIS TRANSGRESSIONS THAT HE HATH COMMITTED. He forthwith begins "in the strength of the Lord," trusting that His grace will be with him, to leave off every kind of iniquity of language and conduct, to avoid all ungodly society, to check his bad tempers, to resist his vile passions, to devote himself to pious practices, to d course of real, earnest, heartfelt prayer, to diligent, thoughtful, and devout reading of the Scriptures, and to all the duties which he owes to his neighbour. He is not like so many, who "return, but not the Most High;" who make some confessions, offer some prayers, leave off some sins, who are "almost persuaded to be Christians," who go a little way toward God, but will not go all the way to God, will not become His faithful, consistent, devoted servants. He that really returns to God, really devotes himself to the service of the Lord, considers that he is not his own master, to pick and choose what duty he will do, and what he will leave undone, when he will do his duty, and when he will leave it undone; he considers, that he is "not his own, for he is bought with a price, and must glorify God," by leaving off every sinful practice, and by the faithful, regular, and consistent discharge of every duty. (R. L. Cotton, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. WEB: Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.