Ezekiel 13:10 Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash,

These prophets are don’t sent by God. His prophets do not lead mankind astray. They take what man builds upon and use whitewash to make it look clean from the outside but that does nothing to change what is within,

Matthew 23:27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.”

Scribes and Pharisees were all about appearances, looking good on the outside. Their familiarity with the scriptures suggested that they knew better than those who came to them for spiritual nourishment but could not offer them anything which changed the inner being. 

Ezekiel 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,

Ezekiel 36:26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

This is important, so much so that God had Ezekiel repeat it. It is God and God alone that changes the inner man from dead bones into newness of life.

Deuteronomy 22:6-7 English Standard Version

⁶ “If you come across a bird’s nest in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs and the mother sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young. ⁷ You shall let the mother go, but the young you may take for yourself, that it may go well with you, and that you may live long.”

When we find passages that imply a blessing in adherence without a penalty for disobedience we might think that it is not a law and we are not compelled to comply.

I understand that, but in taking that attitude aren’t we missing out on the opportunity for a blessing?

Deuteronomy has some very interesting comments that tell us about decent behaviors with no reference to blessings and curses associated with obedience.

Deuteronomy 22:5 “A woman shall not wear a man’s garment, nor shall a man put on a woman’s cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God.”

This passage tells us how God feels about it without demanding it under penalty. That puts the onus on our conscience to adopt God’s opinion. It comes down to the scriptures changing our character without being coercive.

Is that even possible without the help of the Holy Spirit?