From today’s Bible reading: 1 Hear the word of the LORD, people of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the inhabitants of the land: There is no truth, no faithful love, and no knowledge of God in the land! 2 Cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery are rampant…. 6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you from serving as My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God…. 14 … People without discernment are doomed. [Hosea 4, HCSB] Here we see that Israel’s priests were not only to offer sacrifices and lead in worship, but they were also to teach God’s Word to the people. Because they failed to do so, God rejected them. Today’s pastors should give heed to this lesson. God has not called us to be entertainers or self-help gurus, but He has called us to preach and teach His Word (2 Tim. 4:2). We are to expound the meaning of Scripture, help people “see” its truth by our own example (Php. 3:17; 1 Tim. 4:12; 1 Pet. 5:3) and other means of illustration, and show the relevance of Scripture to our daily lives. It is the Word of God that transforms lives by the enablement of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 3:18). Whatever else we do, if we fail to teach God’s Word, our people will suffer spiritually, and God will set us aside as well!
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