God Loves for His People to Be Loyal to Him
Hosea 6:1?7:2
Why is God showing you this lesson now?
The people of Israel felt confident that, in returning to God, He would accept them back. But His terms for returning have always been based on repentance and surrender.
Years ago when I was a pastor, I usually extended the “standard” Baptist invitation at the close of my sermons: the invitation to be saved, to rededicate one’s life, or to join the church. In most of the churches I pastored, I noticed that the same people used to rededicate their lives, over and over! I came to realize that I needed to do a better job of teaching the truth that the Christian life is about surrender, not rededications. God demanded true loyalty from His people, not loyalty “like a morning cloud” or “like the early dew” that disappears (Hosea 6:4).
Today many Christians are going through the religious motions and rituals that we put them through at church or at evangelistic meetings. “Rededication” is fine – as long as it does not become an emotional safety net or an act of insincere, showy regret. This lesson is about the quality of loyalty God expects from His people. Restoration simply does not come without sincere, true repentance.
Will you take some time right now to confess and repent of the known sins in your life?
How does this lesson connect to what God is doing in and around you?
In Hosea 6:7-7:2, God lists the crimes of His people. They had violated their covenant with Him. Sin breaks the union between God and the soul of man (Isaiah 59:2). Sin hardens the heart against God and the means of His grace, in terms of what we should receive from Him.
Repentance is not altogether sincere until we have replaced “regret” about sin with hatred for sin. We should pray that God would help us to hate our favorite sins more than we have ever loved them. If we could only see the damage sin creates!
I grew up in the state of Oklahoma within an area which has been called “tornado alley.” Once you have viewed in person the damage created by a strong tornado, you will think twice about ignoring the warnings.
We should pray that God would show us what the devil wants to hide from us: the unsparing damage created by giving in to temptation!
Is God warning you today regarding the damage that your favorite sins have created?
Rick Astle– Lessons by Rick Astle, director of missions for Waccamaw Baptist Association. Astle is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and Southern Seminary. He is the author of two books and lives in Conway.