Rampant Guilt In The People Of God Series

RAMPANT GUILT IN THE PEOPLE OF GOD

HOSEA 4:1-13

INTRODUCTION: THIS PASSAGE OF HOSEA IS A CONTINUATION OF THE CHARGE THAT GOD HAS BROUGHT AGAINST HIS PEOPLE ISRAEL. THIS CHARGE HAS NOT ONLY BEEN DECLARED, IT HAS ALSO BEEN VIVIDLY PICTURED THROUGH THE MARRIAGE OF HOSEA TO GOMER AND THE ACTIONS OF EACH. HERE, GOD LAYS OUT, NOT ONLY HIS CONCERNS, BUT ALSO THE NATURAL PROGRESSION OF THESE CHARGES IF THEY ARE LEFT UNCHECKED, UNREPENTED, AND ALLOWED TO CONTINUE. IN REALITY, WHAT GOD IS CONCERNED ABOUT FROM ISRAEL, AND FROM US IS WHAT MIGHT BE TERMED, “SINS OF OMISSION”. THESE ARE SINS WHICH WE BRING ON OURSELVES, NOT BY OVERT ACTION, BUT BY ACTUAL OR CASUAL INACTION.

I. THE DECLARATION OF THE CHARGE – 4:1

A. THE LORD BRINGS A CHARGE BASED ON HIS WORD

B. VIOLATION OF THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD IS NOT SOMETHING TO BE TRIFLED WITH

a. GOD’S WORD IS UNIQUE

a. IT IS INERRANT – IT HAS NO ERRORS

b. IT IS INFALLIBLE – IT CAN NEVER FAIL

c. IT IS INSPIRED – IT COMES FROM THE VERY MIND OF GOD THROUGH THOSE WHO WROTE IT

d. IT IS IMMUTABLE – IT DOES NOT CHANGE

1) IT IS NOT SUBJECT TO PERSONAL PREFERENCE

2) IT IS NOT SUBJECT TO POLITICAL CORRECTNESS

3) IT IS NOT SUBJECT TO CULTURAL ADAPTATION

4) THE WORD OF GOD IS THE STANDARD BY WHICH ALL NATIONS, CULTURES AND PEOPLE ARE SUBJECT

5) THE WORD OF GOD TRANSCENDS PERSONAL PREFERENCE, AND IDEOLOGIES

2. GOD, THROUGH HIS WORD IS TO BE OBEYED

a. THE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST HAS NO CHOICE IN THIS MATTER

1) THE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST IS KNOW BY HIS OBEDIENCE

John 14:15 (NIV) 15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command.

2) THE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST PRACTICES SELF-DECEPTION BY DISOBEDIENCE.

1 John 5:3 (NIV) 3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,

3) THE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST WILL BE CORRECTED BY GOD TO PRODUCE OBEDIENCE.

Hebrews 12:6 (NIV) 6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."

b. ULTIMATELY, EVEN THE UNBELIEVER HAAS NO CHOICE IN THIS MATTER

Romans 14:11 (NIV) 11 It is written: "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.'"

II. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE CHARGE – 4:1-2

A. THERE IS NO FAITHFULNESS

1. OPPOSITE OF THE CHARACTER OF GOD

2. GOD HAS BEEN ABUNDANTLY FAITHFUL TO US

3. GOD CONTINUES TO BE FAITHFUL TO US.

4. GOD WILL NEVER STOP BEING FAITHFUL TO US!

5. FAITHFULNESS COMES FROM THE WORD TRUTH

a) ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE TRUTH – FAITHFULNESS IS BOTH REQUIRED AND BLESSED – IT BRINGS ABOUT STABILITY IN OUR LIVES!

Proverbs 28:20 (NIV) 20 A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.

1 Corinthians 4:2 (NIV) 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

b. THE OPPOSITE IS ALSO TRUE, ….

James 1:6-8 (NIV) 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

1) THE PERSON WITHOUT FAITH/TRUTH IS IN TROUBLE

2) HE HAS NO HORIZONTAL STABILITY WITH MAN

3) HE HAS NO VERTICAL STABILITY WITH GOD

4) THIS IS WHAT JESUS WAS COMMUNICATING IN THE PARABLE OF THE BUILDERS

WE CANNOT BE STABLE IN OUR WALK WITH GOD IF WE ARE PEOPLE WITHOUT FAITH

B. THERE IS NO LOVE

1. AGAIN THIS IS A CHARACTER OF GOD EXERCISED ON OUR BEHALF IN THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE.

John 15:13 (NIV) 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

Romans 5:8 (NIV)8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV) 3 The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.

2. THE DIRECT RESULT OF HAVING NO LOVE TOWARDS GOD, WE WILL HAVE NO LOVE TOWARDS OTHERS

John 15:12 (NIV) 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

LOVE IS SOMETHING WE OWE GOD

C. THERE IS NO ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF GOD

1. LITERALLY, THERE IS NO KNOWLEDGE OF GOD

2. THIS MEANS MANY THINGS

a. NOT RECOGNIZING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH AND TO GOD

b. A DELIBERATE REBELLION OF GOD – ROMANS TELLS US THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO NOT KNOW GOD, ONLY TO BE IN REBELLION TO THAT KNOWLEDGE.