Who’s to Blame?
- 23 hours ago
- 4 min read
A Personal Paraphrase of Hosea 4:1-9; 5:1-2
As I have reflected on the ugly divisions, the moral perversity, and the willful ignorance that characterize our country today, I want to find someone to blame. Who’s responsible for this mess? I seem to feel better when I can point my finger and say, “It’s all your fault!” At times, I’ve blamed Washington, Hollywood, Harvard, or Wall Street. As the years have passed, my list of possible people to blame has lengthened to include Democrats, Republicans, public educators, humanists, communists, terrorists, and LGBTQ activists. I’ve even tried to blame all our problems on Satan.
You may be interested to learn that my search has ended, and I have finally settled on who I believe is responsible for the cultural chaos we live in today. I’m hesitant to share my conclusion because you may well disagree and find my opinion to be harsh and judgmental. And I’ve been reluctant to go public because there is always the possibility that I could be wrong (Duh!). But as I read through the book of Hosea recently, I discovered that I think the same way God does about this! So, I’m now ready to share my opinion with you.
I believe that pastors are to blame for the moral decay that we see all around us. To be sure, there are many others who share in the guilt, but, from my perspective, the primary responsibility for our cultural decadence rests squarely on the shoulders of pastors, and on the pulpits in which they stand week after week. I’m talking about the men and women who have been officially entrusted with the leadership of the church. Regardless of theological label or ecclesiastical affiliation, my focus includes not only pastors, but denominational leaders, evangelists, church planters, missionaries, and seminary professors.
I warned you that this might sound harsh and judgmental, but please understand the spirit in which I write. I’m not an angry outsider, throwing stones. I love the church, warts and all, and am devoted to her service. For all my adult life, I’ve served as a pastor, missionary, evangelist, and ministry leader. So, if my assessment seems cruel, please understand that my guns are aimed first and foremost at myself!
If we were standing face to face, I’d love to ask your opinion. Who do you think is to blame for our country’s tragic condition? Ultimately, your answer carries no more weight than mine. The only opinion that really matters is God’s. Hosea prophesied in the mid-eighth century B.C., addressing circumstances very different from our own. And yet God’s truth remains unchanged. What Hosea declared to the clergy of his day, the priests and the prophets, still speaks powerfully to many of the realities we face today. I share this personal paraphrase from Hosea with you with the prayer that it will help us both to better understand the times in which we live, so that we can be wise as serpents, yet innocent as doves (see Matt. 10:16).
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Hey everybody. Listen up! The Lord has filed a lawsuit against his people. Yes, he has summoned the whole church into the courtroom, and he is bringing three primary charges against his own people:
You haven’t kept your vows.
You don’t walk in love.
You don’t know diddly-squat about the One you claim to worship.
This explains the moral depravity so prevalent in the nation. People swear and use bad language. Lies, fake news, and spin characterize public discourse. Theft is common and adultery is fashionable. Sexual perversity has been normalized, and violence and murder are openly celebrated. Nature itself is in grief over this tragic state of affairs. Animals in the field, birds in the sky, and fish in the sea are sick and dying. Some are becoming extinct. (4:1-3).
Yes, God is building his case against his people. But who’s to blame? Who should be held responsible for the sin and apostasy running rampant in the land? Everyone will be required to stand before the judge and no one is innocent, but God is pointing his finger primarily at the pastors. Yes, he is holding the clergy responsible; this includes pastors, evangelists, and denominational leaders. He is accusing them of pastoral malpractice. He is also planning to bring judgment upon their ‘mother’ – the seminaries in which they were trained. (4:4-5).
This is what the Lord says; “I’m bringing judgment upon my people because they don’t know me. Though they offer me worship, they don’t have a clue who I really am! I blame you pastors for this because you don’t know me either – although you claim to! Rather than teaching the truth, you have taught ignorance, ignorance of me. I’ve been watching you, and I know that this ignorance is not innocent, but willful. You have made a conscious choice to reject me and my ways. You don’t want to know me! Therefore, I don’t want to know you either. In fact, I have rejected you, and your children! Your success in ministry has been success in doing the wrong thing! Therefore, the bigger your church – the bigger your judgment will be. Your mega-churches, in which you glory, will bring you mega-shame. You make my people comfortable in their sins rather than helping them find victory over them, and then you profit personally from the sin offerings they bring to church! Yeah, the sheep are just like their shepherds. I will bring all of you into the courtroom and will judge you for your sins. But I’m holding you pastors responsible!” (4:6-9).
So, listen up! This message is for all God’s people, but especially for you pastors and church leaders. The Lord’s lawsuit is against you! Your day in court is almost here. You have led the Lord’s people into error. You have guided them into a pit so deep that they will never get out. Judgment day is coming and everyone will be held accountable for their own sins. And when you pastors stand before the Lord to give an account of your ministry, you will receive the punishment that you justly deserve! (5:1-2).