Our Greatest Spiritual Threat
Our Greatest Spiritual Threat
Hosea 6-10
“Strangers devour his strength, yet he does not know it; Gray hairs also are sprinkled on him, yet he does not know it. Though the pride of Israel testifies against him, yet they have not returned to the Lord their God, nor have they sought Him, for all this.” (7:9-10).
The people of Israel must have been shocked when they heard Hosea’s message condemning them for their sin. They were doing all the right things. They were going to the temple to make their sacrifices and observe all the feasts. They were confident that they were doing all the right things and fulfilling God’s commands. However, for all their outward observances of the law, they forgot one important truth, that the heart is deceitful above all things and that external acts of worship do not necessarily reveal the genuine condition of the heart.
The greatest threat to our spiritual life is not the threat around us. It is not the sin embraced by the world or the increase of spiritual and moral lawlessness. The greatest threat is far more sinister, far more deceptive, and far more prevalent. The threat to our soul is much closer, much more prevalent, and much more real. The greatest threat to our relationship with God is the inward deception of our own heart. We deceive ourselves into thinking we are in right standing with God because we perform all the external acts. We go to church on Sunday, we read the Bible, we are even involved in ministry, yet sin remains present in our lives because we justify our sin and silence the voice of our conscience under the veil of self-righteousness. This was the failure of Israel, and it is often the failure of our own heart.
However, in overcoming our self-deception, Hosea also provides us with the key to genuine transformation and the pursuit of righteousness. First, it involves a refocus on our relationship with God. In 6:1-3, we see an appeal for the people to return to the Lord. The wonder of God’s grace is that no matter how much we sin or how far we have strayed from Him, He always welcomes us back and restores our relationship with Him. God’s grace is always available, no matter how far we have strayed. However, in verse 3, we find what is required of us. To receive His grace, all we need to do is make Him once again the object of our affection and make the pursuit of the knowledge of Him the purpose of our life. God desires a personal relationship with us, but we need to seek Him.
Second, instead of trusting in ourselves, our abilities, and our reasoning (10:13), we need to place our trust in God and commit our lives to following Him and obeying His commands wholeheartedly and continually. We are to seek Him and His desires for us daily (10:13). Too often, we give lip service to God but fail to give Him our full devotion and obedience. Being a follower of Jesus is more than just going to church; it is the act of surrender so that we increasingly allow God to exercise sovereign rule over our lives. We bring all facets of our lives under the authority of His rule. This becomes our daily focus. The Christian life is not just a confession of faith; it is a life lived out in which we surrender all things to Him on a daily basis. Today, do not just ask for God’s blessing in your life; ask Him to have sovereign authority in all aspects of your life.
Hosea 6-10
“Strangers devour his strength, yet he does not know it; Gray hairs also are sprinkled on him, yet he does not know it. Though the pride of Israel testifies against him, yet they have not returned to the Lord their God, nor have they sought Him, for all this.” (7:9-10).
The people of Israel must have been shocked when they heard Hosea’s message condemning them for their sin. They were doing all the right things. They were going to the temple to make their sacrifices and observe all the feasts. They were confident that they were doing all the right things and fulfilling God’s commands. However, for all their outward observances of the law, they forgot one important truth, that the heart is deceitful above all things and that external acts of worship do not necessarily reveal the genuine condition of the heart.
The greatest threat to our spiritual life is not the threat around us. It is not the sin embraced by the world or the increase of spiritual and moral lawlessness. The greatest threat is far more sinister, far more deceptive, and far more prevalent. The threat to our soul is much closer, much more prevalent, and much more real. The greatest threat to our relationship with God is the inward deception of our own heart. We deceive ourselves into thinking we are in right standing with God because we perform all the external acts. We go to church on Sunday, we read the Bible, we are even involved in ministry, yet sin remains present in our lives because we justify our sin and silence the voice of our conscience under the veil of self-righteousness. This was the failure of Israel, and it is often the failure of our own heart.
However, in overcoming our self-deception, Hosea also provides us with the key to genuine transformation and the pursuit of righteousness. First, it involves a refocus on our relationship with God. In 6:1-3, we see an appeal for the people to return to the Lord. The wonder of God’s grace is that no matter how much we sin or how far we have strayed from Him, He always welcomes us back and restores our relationship with Him. God’s grace is always available, no matter how far we have strayed. However, in verse 3, we find what is required of us. To receive His grace, all we need to do is make Him once again the object of our affection and make the pursuit of the knowledge of Him the purpose of our life. God desires a personal relationship with us, but we need to seek Him.
Second, instead of trusting in ourselves, our abilities, and our reasoning (10:13), we need to place our trust in God and commit our lives to following Him and obeying His commands wholeheartedly and continually. We are to seek Him and His desires for us daily (10:13). Too often, we give lip service to God but fail to give Him our full devotion and obedience. Being a follower of Jesus is more than just going to church; it is the act of surrender so that we increasingly allow God to exercise sovereign rule over our lives. We bring all facets of our lives under the authority of His rule. This becomes our daily focus. The Christian life is not just a confession of faith; it is a life lived out in which we surrender all things to Him on a daily basis. Today, do not just ask for God’s blessing in your life; ask Him to have sovereign authority in all aspects of your life.
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