Hosea 1:2
“The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.”
One of the more interesting things that God commanded a prophet to do was to go take a wife of whoredoms. Hosea was an amazing man in that he didn’t question God, but he immediately obeyed. God wanted Hosea to take a wife of whoredoms because He knew she would eventually leave Hosea for her lifestyle. Though Hosea would initially save her from this life, she would eventually leave him to go back to her old lifestyle.
God equated His relationship with Israel as a husband and wife. Just like Hosea’s wife would depart from him, God said that Israel would depart “from the LORD.” Using the word “departing” is a very strong word because this implies that it was not a mistake, but it was a purposeful choice. It was Israel’s choice to leave the LORD.
A Christian never “falls” into sin; they depart into sin. Sin is never an accident; sin is a choice. Too often we want to imply that our sins are a mistake with which we had nothing to do, but that simply is not true. Every time a Christian goes into sin, they chose to go into sin. You can choose to say that you fell into sin, but God’s Word says that we depart into sin. Sin is a choice.
David didn’t fall into adultery, he chose to commit adultery. Peter didn’t fall into denying the LORD, rather he chose to deny the LORD. Ananias and Sapphira didn’t fall into lying to the Holy Ghost; they chose to lie to the Holy Ghost. Any time anyone sins, including you, they chose to go into sin. Better yet, they depart into sin. It is a willful act on the part of the Christian to go into sin.
However, before Israel chose to depart into sin, they departed from God in their heart and mind. They thought another lifestyle would be better. They thought other gods could do them better. They thought other commands were better. Before they physically departed to other gods, they had departed in their hearts and mind.
Before a Christian ever departs into sin, they mentally depart from God. Before a Christian’s backslidden ways are seen by others, they have already backslidden in their heart. To depart from God means they planned the departure before they actually departed. To depart from God means they lived the other life in their mind before they actually departed to live that life. To depart from God means they saw another lifestyle in their mind that was better than the Christian lifestyle. It all happens in the mind. Before a person ever departs into sin, they have already departed in their mind.
Friend, you must protect your mind. Your mind will come up with imaginations about sin that just are not true. That is why God says in 2 Corinthians 10:5, “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” You must control what you think so that you don’t depart from God in your mind.
Let me simply remind you that no matter what you imagine is better than serving God, it is not! Every other lifestyle will bring heartache and dissatisfaction. Don’t allow yourself to depart from God in your heart and mind. Before you ever depart from the LORD and choose to commit some sin, always remember that sin cannot satisfy. It is your choice to stay with God, and the choice to stay with God’s lifestyle will bring joy and satisfaction. Don’t depart in your heart and mind for that will eventually bring an actual physical departure from God.