Teach Others the Right Path

Photo by Tito Balangue

Scripture: Hosea 3:3

Then I said to her, “You shall stay with me for many days. You shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man; so I will also be toward you.”

Insights: The third truth we discover this week from our passage of Scripture is that we need to teach people the right path.  Notice that Hosea tells Gomer she will no longer play the harlot, but will have only one man and that man is him.  In other words, he is instructing her on the proper way to live life.  Israel has forgotten, because of their choice of harlotry, the goodness of God.  He is going to instruct Israel through their punishment the proper way to respond to an almighty God.  We too have to be instructed in the proper way to live as well.  After we have been instructed, we need to instruct others in the proper way to live.  All instruction really falls into two categories.  Holiness, which means to be set apart, is the first category.  Holiness deals with the disdain for sin and the things of sin.  We must have an intense hatred toward sin.  It ought to sicken our stomach when we are exposed to our sinful condition.  God’s holy standard will not accept any aspect of sin.  He requires absolute purity.  It is for this reason we must understand that both our holiness and our righteousness are imputed by the Lord Jesus into our lives.  We are not capable of being holy and righteous.  Jesus’ work on Calvary makes us holy and righteous.  When the Father looks onto us, He looks through the lens of His Son.  It is Jesus’ holiness and righteousness He sees in us.  Righteousness is the other category.  Sin is what we ought not to do and righteousness is what we rightly should do.  Once again, we are not capable of making right decisions apart from Christ’s mercy and grace.  He enables us through His Spirit’s work in our lives to do what is right and acceptable before God the Father.  Beloved, let me encourage you to take your instruction from Jesus.  Let Him use godly men and women in your life to help guide you down His path and learn to be holy and righteous in Him.

Questions:

1. Are you instructing or being instructed about the ways of holiness?

2. Are you instructing or being instructed about the ways of righteousness?

Prayer: Father, I sincerely wish to grow and walk in the ways of Your path.  Guide and instruct me in Your holiness and righteousness.  May my life bring You glory and honor.  Amen.

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