The prophet Hosea warned the people of Israel (Ephraim) about God’s judgment that was coming against them because of their sin. In the passages we will discuss in this article, he compared the people to different things – the dew, a dove, and a donkey.
These things have been “written for our instruction” (Romans 15:4; cf. 1 Corinthians 10:6, 11). The warning for us is this: Do not be like Ephraim!
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Princes persecute me without cause,
But my heart stands in awe of Your words.I rejoice at Your word,
As one who finds great spoil.I hate and despise falsehood,
But I love Your law.Seven times a day I praise You,
Because of Your righteous ordinances.Those who love Your law have great peace,
And nothing causes them to stumble.I hope for Your salvation, O Lord,
And do Your commandments.My soul keeps Your testimonies,
And I love them exceedingly.I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies,
For all my ways are before You.(Psalm 119:161-168)
In this lesson, we will focus on the idea of reverence. If we fear God, we should hold His word in the highest regard. This will necessarily lead us to respond in a certain way toward His word.
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Your hands made me and fashioned me;
Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.May those who fear You see me and be glad,
Because I wait for Your word.I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are righteous,
And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.O may Your lovingkindness comfort me,
According to Your word to Your servant.May Your compassion come to me that I may live,
For Your law is my delight.May the arrogant be ashamed, for they subvert me with a lie;
But I shall meditate on Your precepts.May those who fear You turn to me,
Even those who know Your testimonies.May my heart be blameless in Your statutes,
So that I will not be ashamed.(Psalm 119:73-80)
God is our Creator – the giver of life. Understanding this fact should cause us to serve the Lord and do so in a certain way. Let us notice the connection between God being our Maker and our Master.
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How blessed are those whose way is blameless,
Who walk in the law of the Lord.How blessed are those who observe His testimonies,
Who seek Him with all their heart.They also do no unrighteousness;
They walk in His ways.You have ordained Your precepts,
That we should keep them diligently.Oh that my ways may be established
To keep Your statutes!Then I shall not be ashamed
When I look upon all Your commandments.I shall give thanks to You with uprightness of heart,
When I learn Your righteous judgments.I shall keep Your statutes;
Do not forsake me utterly!(Psalm 119:1-8)
David began this psalm by introducing the idea that God’s word is a blessing to us. Why should we recognize the word of God as a blessing, and what should we do as a result?
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Many people choose to ignore sin. Sadly, even some Christians do this. They ignore the sins of others because they see the sins as being between them and God and so they are of no concern. They often ignore their own sin believing that God’s grace will cover them. Yet sin cannot be ignored.
“The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants, for they transgressed laws, violated statutes, broke the everlasting covenant” (Isaiah 24:5).
In the verse above, sin is described as pollution. This analogy is used because sin affects more than just the one who committed the sin. So in this article, I want us to consider this question: Who is affected by sin?
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A habit is “a recurrent, often unconscious pattern of behavior that is acquired through frequent repetition” (The American Heritage Dictionary). Anything can become a habit, even those things which are good.
Sadly, many have developed a habit of sin. They have sinned so often that they now do it without even thinking. This is a very dangerous condition. We cannot repent of sin unless we first see the sin that is in our lives. The occasional sin is easier to see. It stands out to us – not just because it is out of character for us to engage in a certain behavior, but because we have to make the conscious decision to ignore what we know to be right in order to do what is wrong.
Habitual sins are able to hide because we do not think about them. Our decision to commit them is often unconscious. This does not excuse the action. Sin is sin, no matter how much thought we put into it. But when sin becomes a normal part of our routine, not only will our habitual sins continue, but the door will be wide open for other sins to enter into our life.
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The conscience, if properly trained and used, will help one to be faithful to the Lord. Once one knows the truth, his conscience helps motivate him to practice it. If he does not, his conscience strikes him with guilt, motivating him to repentance.
Unfortunately, there are many who know the truth, but choose not to practice it. They may feel guilty at first, but eventually they become “seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron” (1 Timothy 4:2). They have forfeited their good conscience and all the benefits of it. Many sacrifice their conscience for such things as riches, comfort, security, and the approval of others.
This was the test put against “Raccoon” John Smith when he left the Baptist church in order to practice and preach the simple gospel of Christ. Yet Smith made it clear that his conscience could not be bought with any earthly enticements.
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What does “propitiation” mean? How is “justification” connected to salvation? What does “sanctification” look like in our day-to-day lives? The Bible uses some powerful words to describe God’s plan to save mankind. However, these words are not always easy to understand, especially when they are not part of our everyday vocabulary. This book explores key Bible terms that unlock the message of the gospel.
Big Words in the Bible examines five important words – Propitiation, Reconciliation, Sanctification, Justification, and Resurrection – using plain language to see how the Scriptures describe these concepts and how the apostle Paul employs them in his letter to the Romans. This book also contains an appendix with eleven additional articles to explore these topics further.
Whether you are new to the Bible and want to grow in your understanding or want a simple way to explain these core gospel doctrines to others, this book will be helpful. With a focus on the Scriptures, Big Words in the Bible helps break down these fundamental topics to shed light on the life-changing message of the gospel and the salvation found in it.
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