The Great Controversy
Hosea 4:1-3Listen to the word of the Lord, O sons of Israel,
For the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land,
Because there is no faithfulness or kindness
Or knowledge of God in the land.
2 There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing, and adultery.
They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed.
3 Therefore the land mourns,
And everyone who lives in it languishes
Along with the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky;
And also the fish of the sea disappear.
Introduction:
1) God had a controversy with Israel because they rejected His law.
2) God has a controversy with any and all people that refuse to be guided by His council.
3) And, just as God had a controversy with Israel of old--we want to show that he has one with the people of our land--and for the same reasons.
I) GOD HAS A CONTROVERSY WITH THE LAND BECAUSE THERE IS NOT MUCH FAITH IN IT
1) Not many people believe the Bible--and yet the Bible is the word of God.
a) The Bible reveals the only true and living God to us--and without it, no man can know or believe that Jesus is Lord.
Romans 10:14 How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
2) In these passages we find this great truth--If men do not hear and believe the word of God--they cannot believe in the God and Christ of the Bible.
3) And men who do not believe in God cannot please Him
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
4) There are many infidels in the land-- Athiesm has eaten (as does a termite) into the schools of our land.
a) Athiest say in their heart--There is no God
Psalm 53:11 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God,”
They are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice;
There is no one who does good.
b) Only one college professor out of four believes in God.
c) Our universities teem with infidelity--Organic evolution is taught as a proven truth.
d) Many of our college and university professors scoff at the idea of believing the Bible.
5) But unbelief is not peculiar to just the infidel--Many religious people do not really believe the Bible.
a) Many of those who profess faith in Christ--deny the divine authority and inspiration of the Bible.
b) Some are modernists--who deny the miracles, the virgin birth of Christ, the resurrection, heaven, and hell.
c) This is not faith--The kind that pleases God.
d) Add to all this the many millions who have accepted human creeds instead of just going to the Bible--Taking it for what it says and you can see why there is not much faith in the world today
Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.
Mark 16:16 “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.
Galatians 1:6-9 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;7 which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ.8 But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed.9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed.
II) GOD HAS A CONTROVERSY WITH THE LAND BECAUSE THERE IS NOT MUCH KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IN IT.
1) Many men know much about many things--But only a few have a knowledge of God.
1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness” ;
2) Many will object to our saying our land lacks a knowledge of God because--we have so many religious institutions.
a) But Paul says a man that will not consent to the teachings of God's word "knows nothing"
1 Timothy 6:3-4 If anyone advocates a different doctrine, and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness,4 he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions,
3) But some one says--these men are brilliant--They are intelligent--they are wonderfully educated.
a) There were brilliant men in Athens in Paul's day too--But the only God--The true God was---Unknown to them.
b) They worshipped--But Paul said
Acts 17:23 “For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.
c) Many are--Ever learning, and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.
2 Timothy 3:7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
4) Men may know all about the doctrines and commandments of men--and still be destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge
,I also will reject you from being My priest.
Since you have forgotten the law of your God,
I also will forget your children.
5) It is the knowledge of the truth that counts and God's word is truth.
John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth.
6) It is God''s word that frees.
John 8:32 and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
7) It is the failure to obey the truth or the gospel that will bring the vengeance of God upon us.
2 Thessalonians 1:8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
a) Truly--God has a controversy with the inhabitants of our land because there is not much knowledge of God in it.
III) GOD HAS A CONTROVERSY WITH THE LAND BECAUSE THERE IS NOT MUCH GODLINESS IN IT
1) Perilous times have come---and Paul describes such in
2 Timothy 3:1-5 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these.
1)There is too much formality and hypocrisy
2) too much feigned faith and love -- and not enough of the genuine
3) There is too much theory and too little practice
4) Too much form of godliness but too little power
5) We have faith without works--Salt that has lost its savor.
6) We perceive that men are as religious today as they were in Athens--But their religion is vain because it is not from God.
Matthew 15:7 “You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,8 ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me. 9 ‘But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’”
2) Truly God has a controversy with us today because there is not much godliness.
IV) GOD HAS A CONTROVERSY WITH THE LAND BECAUSE THERE IS NOT MUCH CHARACTER IN IT.
1) Peter told men in
Acts 2:40 And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!”
a) There is too little honesty among men
b) Too few will tell the truth always
c) There is much graft--lying--stealing--Many are the devices of the dishonest to get gain.
d) Dishonest teachers are stealing God's word from the people.
Jeremiah 23:30 “Therefore behold, I am against the prophets,” declares the Lord, “who steal My words from each other.
e) There is a mad scramble for position and fame.
f) The chief concern today is sex appeal--Respect has vanished
g) The world is walking in the ways of Hollywood--Doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind.
Romans 3:18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
2) Truly, There is not much character in the land
V) GOD HAS A CONTROVERSY WITH THE LAND BECAUSE IT IS TOO "CHURCHY".
1) There are too many religious bodies in the land.
a) Christ built His church
Matthew 16:18 “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it.
b) Jesus is the head of His church.
Ephesians 1:22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,23 which is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all.
c) Christ is the savior of His church.
Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.
d) Jesus purchased His church-
Acts 20:28 “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
e) There is but one body or church
Ephesians 4:4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;
2) Denominationalism has its origin in man and not in God
a) They are plants which God has not planted;
Matthew 15:13 But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be rooted up.
3) Jesus had a controversy with the religious leaders of His day--The Pharisees--Herodians-- and the Sadducees.
4) He has a controversy with the religious world today.
a) Men have voided the word of God by their traditions.
b) Their worship is vain who teach for doctrine the commandments of men.
VI. GOD HAS A CONTROVERSY WITH HIS CHURCH BECAUSE HIS CHURCH IS TOO WORLDLY
1) The word church means "the called out".
a) The church in the wilderness was called out of Egypt
Acts 7:38 “This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to you.
b) The church of Christ is called out of the world--Paul admonished in
2 Corinthians 6:17 “Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean;And I will welcome you.
2) We must not be of the world
John 17:15 “I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.16 “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
3) We must not conform to the fashion of the world
Romans 12:1-2 I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
4) We must not love the things of the world.
1 John 2:15-16 Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.
5) Friendship of the world is enmity with God.
James 4:4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
6) Truly--God has a controversy with His church because of its worldliness
VII) GOD HAS A CONTROVERSY WITH THE LAND BECAUSE IT IS A WICKED AND ADULTEROUS GENERATION
1) We read in our text of swearing--lying--and kiilling--and stealing--and committing adultery.
a) One of America's besetting sins is profanity.--How it wounds the feelings of the godly--and how it brands the one foolish enough to use it.
b) Lying--what lies are told in the social--political--commerical--and religious world
c) Killing--more murder than ever
d) Stealing--
e) Committing adultery--Today, men get divorces for every cause.
Matthew 19:9 “And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
f) Adultry and fornication are winked at --joked about--in fact, in certain circles--is made respectable.
g) No wonder man's eyes are full of adultry and God has a controversy with the land.
VIII) FINALLY--GOD HAS A CONTROVERSY WITH THE LAND BECAUSE THERE IS NOT MUCH LOVE OF GOD IN THE LAND--INSTEAD--MEN ARE----
1) Lovers of themselves
2 Timothy 3:1-4 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;
2) Men are lovers of money
1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang.
3) Men are lovers of the world
1 John 2:15-16 Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.
4) Men love the praise of men.
John 12:43 for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.
5) Men love showing off.
Matthew 6:1-8 ”Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. 2 “When therefore you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.3 “But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing4 that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will repay you. 5 “And when you pray, you are not to be as the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners, in order to be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.6 “But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.7 “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition, as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.8 “Therefore do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need, before you ask Him.
6) Men love all these things---But there is little love of God in the land--Because when men love God, they do what He says.
1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.
IX) CONCLUSION
This should be enough evidence to prove why God has a controversy with the land.
May we all remember
If you are not a christian--May you have the courage and foresight to become one now.
F-R-C-B
When you become a christian--Live a faithful life--and God will have no controversy with you.
If you have been a poor christian--Won't you return to your first love--That God may have no controversy with you?
Return to the Sermon Outlines page