Passage Read: Job 9-12
Meditation Verses: 9:29-31
Thought
Job is truly confused and distraught. He has feared God and so done right to the best of his knowledge and ability, and we know he has done very well, because we've seen the testimony of God on his behalf. So Job cannot understand why God would turn so harshly against him. He does not know the challenge of Satan against him. But neither is God being played like a fool by Satan. He knows what He is doing and He has allowed Job to suffer--because of his righteousness, not for lack of it! But Job doesn't know all that. So to him it seems all his efforts to fear and honor the Lord were for nothing! It doesn't matter what you do in obedience to the Lord because it will never be enough! And if it will never be enough, then why bother in the first place? If God will always find fault, then why bother trying at all?
Application
Today we still believe this, that there is no way for a man to be righteous before God, except by receiving it as a gift through Jesus Christ. So there is really no way for a man to be righteous before God. We're always going to be blameable, except by decree through Jesus. So, so many people understand or slip into this same mindset: Since no one could ever be righteous before God, why bother trying? Jesus paid the price, so it doesn't matter what I do, good or bad--except for some rewards, if I care. The modern solution to this puzzle is eternal security. My salvation doesn't depend in the least on what I do, so it doesn't matter whether I seek God or go my own way, I'll still be saved! It is the same discouragement towards righteous living that Job was feeling at this moment. God is only a punisher of evil deeds. Even if He is also a rewarder of good deeds, no one can ever do good so as to be rewarded! But all of this misses the point that Job himself wasn't aware of: God declared Job righteous in His sight on the basis of his own life and faith! And it further misses the point of Christ's death and resurrection on our behalf: To make us new creations that walk in righteousness. We can be righteous in God's sight! There is hope in doing good! We can attain it, more easily than Job because we have a new nature! We understand the Gospel, which should bring hope that we are not only declared righteous, but made righteous creatures! It is worth every effort for me to walk in God's ways, because I can attain righteousness--not just imputed righteousness--and can receive a reward and honor and praise from God! Because I seek it by my life choices and deeds! I don't want to be discouraged from seeking it--or justify remaining in my old nature--and I don't want to discourage others from seeking to live a righteous life. I want to encourage it and be encouraged to pursue it in confidence that it is a reachable goal!