Ross Tenneson

Caleb Hosington

Sam Choi

Caleb gave a family talk relating the story of God healing his hand. 

Ross Tenneson

Daniel Simmons

Steve Klem

Steve Klem talks about hidden sins and how to respond when they are revealed.

Intro

There is a disease that has horrifically swept the world. Many of you have not heard of it. The news has never covered it.

But some of you can see it. Some of you can even smelled it. All of us have met someone with it.

In fact, yours truly has it.

I’m not talking about a disease that infects the body but a disease that infects the soul, the very core of who we are. No, I’m not talking about sin. Although sin is most certainly involved. But something called, “religious Atheism.”

We all know what an atheist is. It’s someone who does not believe in a God or gods.

Pretty simple.

However, you may ask, “Sam, what is religious atheism?”

So a religious atheist is someone who consistently lives in multiple categories of their life as if God does not exist.

I was a big religious atheist.

Before I became a Christian, I raised my hands in church, I read my Bible, I even talked to my friends about Jesus. However, the overwhelming majority of my life, both inward and outward showed no signs as if God was real. He had no weight on my life. I basically used my friends as my standard for goodness. My friends didn’t go to church and I did. So I just made sure I did less bad things than them. So I wouldn’t watch porn on Sundays unlike my friends who had no respect for God like I did. Essentially, I thew God a bone but largely lived however I liked.

I was a religious atheist.

If you are a skeptic or truly an atheist here, you are at least being consistent with your beliefs. If you do not believe in the reality of God, his supremacy, and his lordship, your life should look like that. You are your own master of your destiny. You can do what you want, how you want it, and when you want it.

If you are a unbeliever you probably have seen hypocrisy in churches. When you poll people on the street, this is one of the defining characteristics Christians are known for. If you can’t stand hypocrites, listen up, this passage from God’s word will show you what God will do with hypocrites.

But most of us here are theist. We are Christians who believe Jesus is Lord and he died for our sins and will come back to make all things right. And he is our king and so everything in our life should be under his rule.

And yet, many of us have areas in our life where Jesus is not Lord. Areas where we are religious atheists.

Even now, I can bow my knees, worship, and even preach about God and yet, there are areas in my life that I struggle with, areas that look as if I am an atheist.

Our passage today unpacks some of the main signs of religious atheism and also some of the consequences.

And at the end of this all, I have great news for all of us!

›    Please turn to Hosea 8

Hosea has shown us that God has been patient with Israel for hundreds of years and have given chance after chance to his wayward people. And now it’s coming down to the end. In chapter 8, he is continuing the pattern of a court room kind of scene. Yahweh is laying a charge to his adulteress people and making a case for his claims.

•    The Charge - Israel is being judged for forgetting God but they are claiming they are cool with Yahweh.

•    The Case - Here are all the evidence that their religion is false.

•    The Verdict - Israel has truly forgotten Yahweh and it will result in her punishment.

•    How shall we live in light of this?

•    What’s the hope for a religious atheist?

The Charge - Israel is being judged for forgetting God but they are claiming they are cool with Yahweh.

1 Set the trumpet to your lips! One like a vulture is over the house of the Lord, because they have transgressed my covenant and rebelled against my law.

“Set the trumpet to your lips!”

Other translations, “Sound the alarm.”

The passage starts off with an alarm. A waving flag. A shofar is being blown. Wake up!!! There’s important news to hear!

So Hosea gives the message and reason behind the alarm.

“One like a vulture is over the house of the Lord”

The House of the Lord usually refers to the temple.

It was the center of their faith and what Israel put their hope. No matter the warning, not matter the state they were in, they would look up to the great temple and believe they were safe.

Notice the animal he uses, vultures.

When do you see vultures?

Usually when something is dying, they can see it and they start to circle, waiting for their chance to feast. Or when they find something already dead.

Israel is as good as dead at this point after hundreds of  years of warnings and pleas. So judgement is circling over them or perched on top of the temple.

Why would God do such a thing to his beloved and prized people?

because they have transgressed my covenant and rebelled against my law.

Transgression is knowing something and breaking it anyway.

Israel made a covenant with God and professed she will be committed to God promised to be commited to them.

Rebel is something we all know but I am helped by the NLT that uses the word, “Revolt.” It shows the heart of the word a little more for us in that its not a ignorant action or a slip up, but a defiant rejection of the rule of God.

Now upon hearing this, Israel’s response is almost funny if it wasn’t so tragic.

Imagine a man who’s abandoned his family for years and when he’s arrested after committing terrible crimes he calls them up for bail.

2 To me they cry, “My God, we—Israel—know you.”

Israel hears this charge, and acts confused.

But God, we’re religious. We are your people. We have your temple. Abraham is our father.

The chapter ends with a similar phrase that bookends the theme of this chapter.

14 For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces, and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; so I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour her strongholds.

So God is going to make a case. You don’t know me and I will make a solid case that you don’t. You don’t live as if I am real. Let me show you:

The Case - Here are all the evidences that they are religious atheists.

As we go through this list that shows how Israel has false worship and they’re basically atheists we ought to follow along and see how much we can relate too:

1. You Reject what is Good

3 Israel has spurned the good; the enemy shall pursue him.

Israel has spurned, or a more common word would be, “rejected” the good.

Good is a very general word here. But it sums up all that Israel is doing. They are calling what is evil, good and calling what is good, evil. The sum of their life, actions, thoughts have rejected God, the ultimate good.

And this results a terrible consequence: an enemy will purse him.

Religious atheist have some convictions about good and evil, but they are usually what the culture tells them. They essentially go with the flow of whatever is called good and whatever is called evil. And as the culture drifts further from God’s ways, they are right behind it.

›    Sign number two that you are a religious atheist

2. You make significant decisions on your own

4 They made kings, but not through me. They set up princes, but I knew it not. With their silver and gold they made idols for their own destruction.

“They made kings, but not through me. They set up princes, but I knew it not.”

You’re going to notice a key word, “They!” in the next few verses, “they” but not through ME! The repetition is trying to highlight that Israel is doing it all apart from God.

Israel had a history of this. They would rush to have a king or put people in influential positions but they would do so without consulting God.

They may even say stuff like, “I’ll pray about it” which essentially means that they’ll think about it and maybe throw a quick prayer up but without any intention of actually wanting to hear what God has to say.

Religious atheist don’t ask God about the small things or the big things. They usually only show any sincerity when they really really need something and they’ve exhausted all there other options. They make the biggest decisions about relationships, where they live, what career or school they pursue, what they do with their time or money, all without actually consulting God.

›    Sign number three that you are a religious atheist

3. You mold God to Fit you

5 I have spurned your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence? 6 For it is from Israel; a craftsman made it; it is not God. The calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces.

We make a big mistake when we think Israel thought themselves as secular and rejecting God. They were deeply religious.

syncretism is what they struggled with. They took God’s ways and mixed them with the culture’s ways. The other nations ways.

One band called themselves N-sync because their name communicates that they are synced with each other in song and dance. What’s going on here, is like taking N-sync and adding members of KISS to the band. They would no longer by synced.

But that’s what Israel was doing. Taking that which should never be united and bringing them together.

And so Israel had these altars that that they would use to worship, “God.”

11 Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they have become to him altars for sinning.

Back to v. 5.

What’s going on with this calf?

Exodus 32 we see that Aaron the high priest makes this golden calf and then calls it Yahweh.

Why a calf?

The calf probably reflected an element of pagan thinking, since a bull is an obvious symbol of brute strength and sexual potency—qualities which a corrupt society tends to idolize. In that case, ancient Israel and Canaan may be closer to us than we suppose. - Derek Kidner

Let me explain the calves of Samaria.

Jereboam, the king of the North, started off well but he was afraid that the people who would defect to the Southern Kingdom when they made their pilgrimages to the temple in Jerusalem.

28 So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, “You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” 29 And he set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. 30 Then this thing became a sin, for the people went as far as Dan to be before one.

Notice God’s response to all of this, “burning anger and an exasperation that they seem to never listen.”

There is a certain way God had prescribed to worship Him.

This is significant for us because we can easily fall into the lie and believe that as long as we are sincere, God is cool.

Religious atheists have a god. And its themselves. However, they speak as if they worship the god of the bible. But if you were able to crawl into the deepest parts of their heart, you would not see the God of the Bible sitting on the throne, but a god who looks a lot like them. These people pick and choose verses in the Bible that confirm their preferred view of God. Not the multi-faceted glorious God of the Bible but a domesticated lite-god who fits their categories. This God is predictable and ultimately serves their agenda. They even will praise this God and give him glory, provided he sticks to the script they wrote for him. Their God is a god of love and love is all he does. Sins are just mistakes. And they love him as long as he makes sure his great purpose in life is to fulfill their happiness. Be careful, if you ever challenge this person’s god with scripture they may condemn you as a legalist or a fundamentalist.

The Result

7 For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; it shall yield no flour; if it were to yield, strangers would devour it. 8 Israel is swallowed up; already they are among the nations as a useless vessel.

In other words, everything will be frustrated and futile.

Do you know what futile means?

It means that no matter what they do its all for nothing.

They can’t grow anything.

And if they do, it will be snatched away from them.

Notice this phrase, “They are among the nations as a useless vessel.”

Remember, they were God’s chosen instrument of mercy and light to the world. Instead of influencing the Mesopotamian region, they became like them.

›    Sign number four that you are a religious atheist

4. You Put your Hope in Others Outside of God

9 For they have gone up to Assyria, a wild donkey wandering alone; Ephraim has hired lovers. 10 Though they hire allies among the nations, I will soon gather them up. And the king and princes shall soon writhe because of the tribute.

Pastor Ross covered this more in his sermon, but throughout Israel’s history, they found their security in armies and walls. And so they would reach out to other nations in order to rescue them and continue their independence from God. They found security in the fact that they had a big ally like Egypt or Assyria.

1 “Ah, stubborn children,” declares the Lord, “who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin; 2 who set out to go down to Egypt, without asking for my direction, to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!

Instead of seeking shelter in the shadow of the almighty, they seek it elsewhere.

I have this picture in my head of Yahweh standing on the side calling out, “Come to me for rescue, come to me for peace. I’ll take care of you. I always have.” And Israel desperately grabbing other nations as asking them for help. Other weaklings when the almighty God is right there by their side.

Religious atheists find their refuge in everything but God. They find it in their bank account, or job, or talent, or health, or friends and family. Everything but God. When they feel threatened or pressed, they don’t drop to their knees, they find other ways to secure themselves. Occasionally they will reach a point of crisis and may call out to God but once everything goes back to normal, they go right back on living as if he doesn’t exist.

›    Sign number five that you are a religious atheist

5. You Are Unfamiliar with God’s Word

12 Were I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands, they would be regarded as a strange thing.

You can hear the exasperation in God’s words.

God has been speaking for many years and they have closed their ears to his words. So even though they claim they know him, they would not recognize his voice if he was shouting in their ear.

Religious atheists have their favorite bible verses. They often are more familiar with religious language and customs. They may post Bible verses in their home or their Facebook walls. However, they do not actually treasure God’s word. It isn’t precious to them. They don’t want to hear or listen. They are unfamiliar with it. They are more familiar with their favorite show on Netflix or a sports team. God’s word is a strange thing to them. Stranger things is more familiar to them. Many Religious atheists even claim the Bible is God’s word. It’s just not God’s word for them when it ever challenges them.

›    Sign number six that you are a religious atheist

6. You Make Sacrifices and Offerings

13 As for my sacrificial offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but the Lord does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins; they shall return to Egypt.

This may seem surprising. The sacrifice described here was probably a fellowship offering. God wanted them to enjoy the meat in his presence. But as shown before, Israel was still going through the rituals but they twisted it so much and their hearts were not in it that God rejected their sacrifices

Religious atheist may go to church and get there church on. Its like their weekly sacrifice. I remember one season of my life before I was born again, where I went to an altar call every week. I would cry and repent and then right go back I got my fix.

I remember when I was a youth pastor, there were kids who had their yearly repentance and tear-fest at summer camp. It was an emotional release.

Like an employee, they clock in and when they leave, they clock out. They leave work at work and go back to their real life.

Religious atheist rarely make any real sacrifices. They don’t allow God to be God in their finances. They’ll never give if it costs them their own standard of living. Some of them may even tithe but not because the tithe reminds them that all of it is the Lord’s but because they feel like they gave God his cut so that they are now free and blessed to do whatever they want with the rest.

Result: Rejection and Enslavement

“but the Lord does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins; they shall return to Egypt.”

God rejects them and they will be back where they started, in Egypt.

What position were they in Egypt?

Slaves.

They will be taken as slaves by Assyria and eventually Babylon and some refugees probably would flee to Egypt.

›    So that was all the evidence. And here’s the verdict.

The Verdict - Israel has truly forgotten Yahweh and it will result in her punishment.

14 For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces, and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; so I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour her strongholds.

Israel has FORGOTTEN his maker. He may claim that he knows them but he actually doesn’t. They don’t know him and they don’t put their hope in Him.

Israel has built walls and strongholds.

The leaders forget that it is God who ultimately protects them, not walls.

Instead of dwelling in the shadow of the almighty, they are taking cover under other nations.

Instead of taking refuge in God, they are taking refuge in buildings.

Everything they put their trust in will fall like a house of cards and be brought to nothing.

They will be killed or sent into exile and enslaved.

Bring it Home

All of this reminds me of something that Jesus says.

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

There will be people will claim that Jesus is Lord but their actions will betray them.

And notice, these people are religious.

22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

They may be religious and even doing miracles for God, but they don’t obey him.

This also reminds me of something Paul writes to Timothy,

16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

God doesn’t care a rip if you profess you know him. What these passages teach us is that false religion is no only worthless, it infuriates God. It literally say, “Detestable.”

You are detestable to him if you deny him with your life.

What does this passage teach us about God? 

He’s patient

He wants all of us and not just a piece of us

He wants to be part of our decisions

He cares about goodness

He will  judge religious hypocrites

He doesn’t care about religious activities or sacrifices unless he has your heart.

What does this teach me about man?

There has always been those who take God and put him in a box.

There has always been those who twist God into his own ways.

There has always been those who claim to know God but reject him with their actions.

There has always been those who to fight for control.

How should we now live?

Imagine a grid that covers every area of your life. And perhaps there area some areas you can pencil in God. In other words, he has rule and reign over that area.

Are there areas in your life where you are living as if there is no God?

Areas in our life that we close off to God will eventually bust out and take over the rest. Don’t think you can have all to Jesus except one area and it stay there.

everyday we re-surrender.

›    This passage is pretty hopeless. And you may be feeling pretty terrible at this point. There is good news.

Christological conclusion

Jesus was the only one who perfectly obeyed God, perfectly practice every ritual but all with the right heart.

He never sinned. He never once had a bad attitude. He never once wronged another.

And this Jesus, willingly took our punishment for our unfaithfulness. Our false religion. Our wayward hearts. Our unbelief and doubt.

Although our religious acts can be impure and broken, God makes away for us to be 100% accepted and loved through Jesus.

So Jesus was treated like he was a religious atheist. He was treated like an idolator, a harlot, a sinner. He drained the cup of God’s rightful wrath and so our fine is completely paid. So now, those who have put their trust in Christ and forsaken their own rule and ways can be right with God. It’s that easy. He made the way!

If you don’t have confidence that you have that today, you can.

You can receive his forgiveness, his record, and his power.

To continue to great news, God promises a new heart and that he will write his perfect law on our hearts.

He will also give us the Holy Spirit that will give us power to obey God and live it out his word.

And so Christian who has drifted and lived like God does not exist, you can return and have a fresh start. And allows his spirit and his ways to transform every part of you.

Imagine what God could do with people who are completely surrendered to him? Where he is God over all. In time, it would change a city and eventually, the world.

11 The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; 12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; 13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.

Daniel Simmons