Necessity of Study Part 2

Hosea 4:7-9 "As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory to shame. They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their inquity. And there shall be, like people, like prriest: and I will punish them for their way, and reward them for their doings."

In these verses the word that came to my mind was the Necessity for Structure. Given the text and the warnings that are given it is in a negative tone for their actions. Through them forgetting the law of God there was nothing positive to be seen. Though whhen we see the steadfastness in verse six will build structure in our life from verses seven through nine.

There are three thoughts that are found in these verses. I want us to see that without Structure there is no stability to stand.

1. Structure for Personal Holiness.
v. 7 "As they were increased, so they sinned against me"

There shying away from the Word of God will lead to ungodliness. So then if we dedicate our lives built around the Word of God will put the precepts that are hid in the Book will be produced in our lives. The desire of our heart should be to be as much like Jesus as a redeemed sinner could be. That purpose will let our holiness which is imputed from God in our salvation can only be put into practice the holiness that is found in the Bible itself. This is the structure that first must be laid.

2. Structure for Practicing Humility
v. 8 "They eat up the sin of my people and they set their heart on their iniquity."

Man that is in rebellion to the Word of God he will automatically build up his own self. The benefits of  a personal holiness is that you will always take yourself out of the way and fall down that no you but Him is seen in all of your life. Isn't it funny that a person who apologizes for wrong or asks for forgiveness is called the "bigger" man. There has to be a willful lowering of yourself to the purpose God so that you can accomplish all that He has for you.

3. Structure for Producing Honor
v. 9 "I will punish them for their ways, and reward them for their doings."

We bear down and focus on the judgment of God. God will judge and chastise will His children for their wrong doing and sins. He is also a God that will reward faithfulness. The structure if honor is simply this, as we honor God He will bring honor in our lives. My life is to bring glory to Christ and bring honor to the working of His grace in our lives. This is the work of honor that brings God glory and makes us want to praise Him for who He is and not for what He does for us.

Within this structure it adds the stability to our steadfastness. Praise His name for the wonderful Word of God.