Hosea 4:6

There is a basic need, today, in our land and among God's people as there were in the long ago, and shall ever be .. until the Lord comes again.

God caused His prophet Hosea to write long ago concerned His people Israel: "MY people are destroyed for the lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will forget thy children." (4:6)

The only safeguard against being led aside by the evil one and his army of deceivers is to, first have a complete trust in God's word, that it is accurate, complete, understandable, and practicable; secondly, to have knowledge of that message in one's mind.

So many subtle ways are devised and presented to keep one doubting that God's word is really THE WAY of knowing what God wants man to do. When one doubts that, then he/she is open to all kinds of gestures, appeals, etc., to look away and trust in other sources. Even if one feels that he/she really trust God's work implicitly to be all of God's message to modern man, if he/she can be keep in the dark as to what it says, then they are open to Satan's appeals and allurements.

Paul's concern for the Corinthians was along this line, that they would follow in Eve's footpath:

II Cor. 11:3 "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."

Knowing God's word is no guarantee that one will obey; but without knowledge, one can't possibly know what to do. But, if one has knowledge, and yet he doubts that it is absolutely accurate, giving the whole picture, then one is not going to be meticulous in applying the directions, either. God claims that His word is complete, accurate, and those who abide therein are safe while others are Not SAFE!

James 1:25 "But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed."

He/she who declares that the word is impracticable, denies the above passage.

II John 1:9 "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son."

He/she who denies the adequacy of the message is going against the above passage.

Beloved, I challenge you to search your heart daily to see if you really trust in the accuracy of God's word. If there is doubt, then study to the end that your faith in God's word to be what it claims to be is true.

Then whenever a problem arises, whatever it is, search the scriptures for all pertinent passages, when you gather them and get them in context, be honest in interpreting them and when you have the facts settled in your mind, STAND on them from now to eternity.

That isn't to say never consider what others say as to whether or not you are interpreting them correctly. That should always be done. Yet, NOT to think too highly of man (1 Cor. 4:6)

Listen, consider honestly, but as to the truth and reliability of the message, STAND FIRM continuously! God's word will stand the test ( Prov. 30:5-6 ): "Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar."

This is basic if we are to continue faithful until death ( Rev. 2:10) The promise of eternal security is to them that are faithful until death and DIE IN THE LORD (Rev. 14:13)

By William Sexton
From Expository Files 9-4; April 2002

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