CONFESSION DO’S AND DON’T’S
HOSEA 6 AND 7
Hosea 6:1-11 1 "Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. 2 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. 3 Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth." 4 "What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears. 5 Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets, I killed you with the words of my mouth; my judgments flashed like lightning upon you. 6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. 7 Like Adam, they have broken the covenant-- they were unfaithful to me there. 8 Gilead is a city of wicked men, stained with footprints of blood. 9 As marauders lie in ambush for a man, so do bands of priests; they murder on the road to Shechem, committing shameful crimes. 10 I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel. There Ephraim is given to prostitution and Israel is defiled. 11 "Also for you, Judah, a harvest is appointed.
I. THE DO’S OF CONFESSION
A. WE NEED TO WANT OT RETURN – 6:1a
1. WANTING TO RETURN TO GOD IS NOT SUFFICIENT IN ITSELF, IT NEEDS TO BE DEFINED – IE: HOW DO WE WANT TO RETURN TO GOD?
2. WANTING TO RETURN TO GOD ON OUR OWN TERMS IS INSUFFICIENT. CONFESSION AND REPENTANCE IS NOT A COMPROMISE WITH GOD
3. CONFESSION AND REPENTANCE IS THE CONTRACT OF GOD.
Jeremiah 17:10 (NIV) 10 "I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."
a. GOD KNOWS OUR HEART
b. GOD KNOWS THE NATURE OF OUR CONFESSION WHETHER IT IS SINCERE OR NOT
c. GOD KNOWS WHETHER WE ARE LOOKING FOR COMPROMISE OR FORGIVENESS
B. WE NEED TO REALIZE WE ARE WRONG – 6:1b
Psalm 51:4 (NIV) 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.
1. ALL SIN IS EVIL
2. ALL SIN IS AGAINST GOD
3. UNTIL WE ACCEPT THE GRAVITY OF OUR ACTIONS AGAINST GOD, WE CAN NEVER BE RIGHTEOUS IN HIS SIGHT
C. WE NEED TO FULLY RELY ON GOD – 6:2
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
D. WE NEED TO RESOLVE TO DO AND BE RIGHTEOUS – 6:3
Genesis 4:7 (NIV) 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."
II. THE DON’TS OF CONFESSION
A. NOTICE THAT IN HOSEA 6:4-FF GOD REPEATS HIS CHARGES AGAINST THE NATION
1. NO LOVE FOR GOD – 6:4
2. NO KNOWLEDGE OF GOD – 6:6
3. UNFAITHFULNESS TO GOD—6:7
Amos 5:21-24 (NIV) 21 "I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies. 22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them.
23 Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. 24 But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!
Isaiah 1:11-17 (NIV)11 "The multitude of your sacrifices-- what are they to me?" says the LORD. "I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. 12 When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? 13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations-- I cannot bear your evil assemblies. 14 Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts my soul hates. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.
15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; 16 wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, 17 learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.
Psalm 51:16-17 (NIV) 16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
B. THE QUESTION TO ASK IS WHY IS GOD REPEATING THE CHARGES IF THERE HAS BEEN REPENTANCE?
1. ANSWER NUMBER ONE – GOD IS A LIAR
2. ANSWER NUMBER TWO – GOD IS MEAN
3. ANSWER NUMBER THREE – THERE HAS BEEN NO REAL REPENTANCE AND CONFESSION
C. WHAT THE PEOPLE OF GOD DID NOT SAY IN THEIR “CONFESSION”
1. THERE IS NO REFERENCE TO SIN!
Luke 18:10-14 (NIV) 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' 13 "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' 14 "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
a. WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS PHARISAICAL REPENTANCE! WHICH IS REALLY NO REPENTANCE AT ALL
b. REAL CONFESSION AND THE SUBSEQUENT REPENTANCE REQUIRES AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF GUILT AND SIN.
c. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING GUILTY AND BEING CAUGHT!
2. THERE IS NO REAL KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
a. NOTICE HOW THE TEXT JUST SEEMS VERY CLINICAL OR LIKE AN EQUATION.
b. GOD WILL DO THIS JUST LIKE THE SUN COMES UP, THE RAINS FALL DOWN, …
c. GOD IS A MACHINE – OF COURSE HE WILL DO THIS!
THE ABSENCE OF ANY REAL ADMISSION OF GUILT/SIN AND THE DEPERSONALIZING OF GOD FROM CREATOR TO EQUATION:
DEPERSONALIZES GOD
DILUTES BIBLICAL TRUTH
III. THE STATE OF THOSE WHO SEEK TO STAND BEFORE GOD UNCONFESSED/UNRIGHTEOUS
A. ALL OF THIS IS SEEN IN CHAPTER 7
B. GOD PROVIDES FOUR PICTURES OF THE UNCONFESSED/UNRIGHTEOUS LIFE BEFORE GOD
1. LIKE AN OVEN – 7:4
a. IT IS A WORD USED OF INORDINATE DESIRE
b. IT IS A TERM MEANT TO DESCRIBE INTENSE HEAT THAT ULTIMATELY CONSUMES US – THINK CREMATION!
2. HALF-BAKED CAKES – 7:7
a. LIKE A PANCAKE SERVED WITHOUT BEING FLIPPED
b. NOT TASTEFUL TO EAT
c. DANGEROUS TO CONSUME
d. USELESS
Revelation 3:16 (NIV) 16 So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
3. LIKE A DOVE – 7:11
a. NORMALLY WE WOULD THINK OF A DOVE AS A SIGN OF PEACE, BUT GOD BRINGS OUT OTHER QUALITIES.
b. HELPLESS AND EASILY DECEIVED
4. FAULTY BOW – 7:16
a. USELESS TO KEEP
b. DANGEROUS TO SELF AND THOSE AROUND IF USED
WHEN YOU PUT ALL OF THESE ILLUSTRATIONS TOGETHER, HERE IS WHAT YOU ARE LEFT WITH: THE TRUE NATURE OF ONE WHO CONTINUES TO LIVE UNCONFESSED/UNRIGHTEOUS BEFORE GOD
THEIR NATURE DESIRES ARE SKEWED, TO THE POINT THAT THEY CAN BE AND ARE OVERWHELMED BY THEM UNLESS THEY CHANGE
THEY ARE USELESS TO GOD, AND UNDESIRABLE
THEY ARE EASILY SWAYED FURTHER AWAY FROM GOD
THEY BECOME A SPIRITUAL DANGER TO THEMSELVES AND THOSE AROUND THEM
IV. GOD’S SINGULAR REMEDY
A. NORMALLY, WE DO NOT READ THE END OF THE BOOK FIRST, BUT…
B. IN THIS CASE IT IS OK TO SKIP AHEAD
Hosea 14:1-3 (NIV) 1 Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God. Your sins have been your downfall! 2 Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to him: "Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips. 3 Assyria cannot save us; we will not mount war-horses. We will never again say 'Our gods' to what our own hands have made, for in you the fatherless find compassion."
1. RETURN TO THE LORD THE RIGHT WAY
2. REALIZE OUR SIN IS OUR DOWNFALL
3. VERBALIZE WHAT WE HAVE DONE
Romans 10:9-10 (NIV) 9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
4. REALIZE THAT GOD AND GOD ALONE IS OUR SALVATION, BOTH ETERNALLY AND DAILY
