The Most Dangerous Sin Is the One You Cannot See

Hosea 14:9 – “Whoever is wise let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the Lord are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.”

This is the last line of Hosea’s prophecy, and it leaves us with a question we cannot afford to ignore. Why do some people recognize that God’s ways are right and follow them, while others stumble over the very path that leads to life?

God sent Hosea to expose the sinfulness of the people of Israel and Judah. God had blessed them repeatedly ever since Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, was a young man. Hosea reminds them of Jacob wrestling with the angel of God and refusing to let go until he received a blessing. He exhorts them to be relentless in pursuing God’s blessings, just as Jacob was.

God had continued to bless His people, but once they got what they wanted, they forgot the One who had given it to them. They turned away from God and followed their own desires. But God didn’t give up on them.

He brought hardship, pain, and political difficulties into their lives to turn their attention back to Him. Their hearts had become so hard by the time Hosea delivered his prophecy that God was going to allow Assyria to take Israel captive. Years later, because Judah’s wickedness continued to increase, God would send them into captivity in Babylon.

Think about that for a moment. God had blessed them, warned them, and disciplined them, yet they continued to turn away from Him.

How could they fail to see what God was doing?

How could they keep rejecting the One who wanted what was best for them?

But before we condemn them, we need to ask ourselves a much more uncomfortable question: Are we doing the same thing?

The last chapter of Hosea begins with these words: “Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God.” Even after all their rebellion, God was still calling His people to return to Him. He never quit trying to draw them back.

And then Hosea ends his prophecy with the verse quoted above.

The wise and discerning understand that the ways of the Lord are right. They recognize that God knows what is best for them, even when His ways are difficult or contrary to what they want. They have the wisdom to understand that true life, the best and highest life, and everlasting life are found in following God’s ways.

But why couldn’t Israel see that after all God had done for them?

Why can’t we see it?

Hosea gives us the answer in the last few words of his prophecy: “But transgressors stumble in them.”

Transgressors are those who sin against God by rejecting His Word and refusing to walk in His ways. They stumble over the very path that leads to life. Why? Because they cannot see the truth of where their choices are leading them. Sin darkens their understanding and blinds them to what God wants them to see.

And that is a danger we must take seriously.

When we allow even a little sin to remain in our lives, it can blind us to God’s truth in ways we may not recognize. It can distort our judgment, weaken our desire to obey, and open a door for Satan to gain a foothold in our lives.

You have probably seen this happen in other people. You have watched someone make one bad decision after another, seemingly unable to recognize the damage being done. You may have wondered how they could be so blind to what was happening.

But here is the frightening part: What if the same thing is happening to us right now?

What if there is sin in our lives that we have learned to tolerate, excuse, or justify? What if it is already affecting our judgment and our relationship with God, but we cannot see it because that very sin has blinded us?

We cannot afford to stumble through life spiritually blind, failing to recognize what God is doing or what He wants to accomplish through us. We cannot assume that because we read our Bibles, attend church, or have walked with the Lord for years, we are immune to spiritual blindness.

So how do we recognize the sins we cannot see?

We ask God to show them to us.

We ask our faithful Father to give us the wisdom and discernment to recognize anything in our lives that is not pleasing to Him. We ask Him to expose our hidden sins, reveal the attitudes and desires that are leading us away from Him, and give us the willingness to repent and get rid of them.

But we must be willing to accept what He shows us. It does little good to ask God to reveal our sins if we intend to defend them when He does.

God is not trying to rob us of something good. He is calling us away from the things that destroy us and back to the path that leads to life. He wants us to see clearly so we can walk faithfully in His ways.

Hosea’s prophecy ends with a choice. We can be wise and discerning, recognize that the ways of the Lord are right, and walk in them. Or we can continue to tolerate sin, reject His truth, and stumble over the very things He has given us to guide us.

So let me ask you: Are you walking in the ways of the Lord, or have you become so accustomed to your own ways that you can no longer see where they are leading you?

Ask God to show you. Ask Him to open your eyes to anything in your life that is not of Him. And when He does, don’t turn away.

That is what God wants from us.