Ezekiel 18:21 KJB
[21] But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

The context of this verse is God explaining that the sins of a father do not pass to the son; neither does the righteousness of a father pass to the wicked son, but “The soul that sinneth, it shall die”(v20).

On the surface this verse and indeed the entire chapter could be used to support the “repent of your sins” idea.

When we stop and read it, it seems to suggest salvation is by works - You must “Do” and “keep”.

But we know that no one could ever do or keep the law, so what’s going on here?

Why does God say this when “there is none that doeth good, no not one” (Rom 3:12)?

We know that the key word "if" shows us that nobody can do the work of turn-from-sins to be saved as per Ezekiel 18:21; because before Ezekiel 18:21 was written, Psalm 14:3 and Psalm 53:5 KJB say there is none that doeth good:

Psalm 14:3 KJB
[3] They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Psalm 53:5 KJB
[3] Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Again, why does he say here that “in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live” (v22), when “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom 3:10)?

We must conclude from the context of the whole word of God that this section and these works do not mean salvation to every one that does them.

Just because a Hebrew went and sacrificed at the temple and outwardly obeyed the law, doesn’t mean they were saved. Look at what Jesus says to the Pharisees, who kept strictly to the law OUTWARDLY:

Matthew 23:27 KJV
[27] Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.


What shall we conclude then?
It is always a matter of the heart with God. Check out Ezekiel 18:31!

So what must we do to work the works of God?

John 6:29 KJV
[29] Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.