Remember that this part of the Bible is still the Old Testament (old covenant) which has been superseded (as was intended all along). The rules listed here by Ezekiel applied under the old covenant. At that time, following the Law of Moses was what the Jews were required to do to make it to Paradise. Following the Law of Moses is not a requirement under the new covenant (New Testament). To try to combine Jesus' payment for our sins with the Old Testament writings and laws can lead to massive confusion. I encourage you to read along with Amy and the rest of us as we cover the remainder of the Old Testament and then the New Testament to get a better understanding of what transpires. Without that, any explanation that you may receive won't likely be meaningful.
That said, here goes: From a Christian (New Testament) standpoint, Jesus' payment of sins grants us an offer of forgiveness and salvation. We, as people, are not required to accept that offer. If someone chooses not to accept the offer, then they implicitly choose to reject Jesus' payment for their sins and they face the known consequences for that choice. It is still their choice completely. Consider what would happen if someone, over their lifetime, acquired an extremely large debt and then they find that they are having difficulty making the payments, and in fact there is no way for them to earn enough money to cover their debts, no mater what turns of fortune may arise. An altruist could come to them and offer to pay off all of their debts, past, present and future. All that they would want in return would be for the debtor to publicly acknowledge that they owed their financial freedom to the altruist. Further, the altruist will make the offer redeemable for the remainder of the debtors life so that at any time the debtor wants, they can accept the bailout with the same provisions. The debtor can choose to accept this offer, or can choose to reject it. If they choose to reject it, then the debtor faces bankruptcy, ruin, jail, etc. If they choose to accept it, they must, for the rest of their life, acknowledge the altruist as the one who got them out of debt. It seems crazy that someone would reject the payment, but there are people who would, either because they don't believe the altruist has the money, or because they don't want to acknowledge that they needed help or for any number of other reasons. In the same vein, there are some who reject Jesus' payment, forgiveness and salvation. God doesn't force anyone to accept, God simply says that if people will accept, then God will grant them great benefits, forgiveness, salvation and freedom and if they refuse, God will allow them to suffer the publicly known and readily understandable consequences of their own freely made life choices. If you claim that this is unjust, then how just would it be for God to force everyone to accept salvation regardless of their own desires. There are people who claim that they'd rather go to Hell than follow God. Should God force them to follow anyway? Should God force salvation on them? No, that wouldn't be just. Justice is consequences (good or bad) according to a person's decisions (good or bad).
Re: If we reject God's forgiveness we die physically and spiritually?
Remember that this part of the Bible is still the Old Testament (old covenant) which has been superseded (as was intended all along). The rules listed here by Ezekiel applied under the old covenant. At that time, following the Law of Moses was what the Jews were required to do to make it to Paradise. Following the Law of Moses is not a requirement under the new covenant (New Testament). To try to combine Jesus' payment for our sins with the Old Testament writings and laws can lead to massive confusion. I encourage you to read along with Amy and the rest of us as we cover the remainder of the Old Testament and then the New Testament to get a better understanding of what transpires. Without that, any explanation that you may receive won't likely be meaningful.
That said, here goes:
From a Christian (New Testament) standpoint, Jesus' payment of sins grants us an offer of forgiveness and salvation. We, as people, are not required to accept that offer. If someone chooses not to accept the offer, then they implicitly choose to reject Jesus' payment for their sins and they face the known consequences for that choice. It is still their choice completely.
Consider what would happen if someone, over their lifetime, acquired an extremely large debt and then they find that they are having difficulty making the payments, and in fact there is no way for them to earn enough money to cover their debts, no mater what turns of fortune may arise. An altruist could come to them and offer to pay off all of their debts, past, present and future. All that they would want in return would be for the debtor to publicly acknowledge that they owed their financial freedom to the altruist. Further, the altruist will make the offer redeemable for the remainder of the debtors life so that at any time the debtor wants, they can accept the bailout with the same provisions. The debtor can choose to accept this offer, or can choose to reject it. If they choose to reject it, then the debtor faces bankruptcy, ruin, jail, etc. If they choose to accept it, they must, for the rest of their life, acknowledge the altruist as the one who got them out of debt. It seems crazy that someone would reject the payment, but there are people who would, either because they don't believe the altruist has the money, or because they don't want to acknowledge that they needed help or for any number of other reasons.
In the same vein, there are some who reject Jesus' payment, forgiveness and salvation. God doesn't force anyone to accept, God simply says that if people will accept, then God will grant them great benefits, forgiveness, salvation and freedom and if they refuse, God will allow them to suffer the publicly known and readily understandable consequences of their own freely made life choices.
If you claim that this is unjust, then how just would it be for God to force everyone to accept salvation regardless of their own desires. There are people who claim that they'd rather go to Hell than follow God. Should God force them to follow anyway? Should God force salvation on them? No, that wouldn't be just. Justice is consequences (good or bad) according to a person's decisions (good or bad).
-- Jeff