# 3
>$^{17}$“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. $^{18}$If I say to the wicked, You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. $^{19}$But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul. $^{20}$Again, if a righteous person turns from his righteousness and commits injustice, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die. Because you have not warned him, he shall die for his sin, and his righteous deeds that he has done shall not be remembered, but his blood I will require at your hand. $^{21}$But if you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning, and you will have delivered your soul.”

This passage is directed from God to Ezekiel, but I think the principles in it can be applied more broadly. In particular it always makes me think about my Christian call to evangelise. As a Christian I believe Jesus has saved me from the punishment in Hell that I deserve. And I know that the Lord Jesus’ offer of salvation is made to anyone who will repent and believe. And I know I have been charged to spread the good news of this salvation to the lost. There are so many parallels. It’s the weight of responsibility this passage conveys, the power of life and death. I cannot make people turn to God, but I can put the option in front of them. And God doesn’t count me guiltless if I fail to do it.