The Sinner's Self-Destruction and Only Remedy
Hosea 13:9
O Israel, you have destroyed yourself; but in me is your help.


I. HIS SELF-DESTRUCTION. "O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself."

1. That the ground of condemnation is personal character. The Bible puts it nowhere else. " If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin." "Ye will not come to Me that ye may have eternal life."

2. God governs every man as a free agent. He is left to choose between good and evil. But God will not force his choice, not even to save him.

3. The provision of grace is ample for all who will accept it. None are excluded from its scope. "Christ tasted death for every man."

4. Life is tendered to you and urged upon you; the means of enlightenment, of conversion and training for heaven are all in your hands.

II. THE ONLY REMEDY — the only way to escape the eternal doom of the self-destroyer. "In Me is thine help." The sinner can destroy himself, but he cannot save himself. Salvation from sin and death is all of grace. It is a supernatural provision outside of and independent of human device and human merit.

(J. M. Sherwood, D. D.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.

WEB: You are destroyed, Israel, because you are against me, against your help.




The Sinner Self-Destroyed
Top of Page
Top of Page