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Saturday, August 18, 2018
James 5
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Thought of the Day: Job's Sin
In Job 1, the author informs readers that Job was "blameless and upright." But later, Elihu makes the following case: "What man is like Job, who drinks up scoffing like water, who travels in company with evildoers and walks with wicked men? For he has said, 'It profits man nothing that he should delight in God.'" (34:7-9). I had a few challenges with this:
1. How can a man who is considered "blameless and upright" also receive the charge that he is a scoffer and in the company of evil men? This is even more puzzling if you consider that Elihu is the one bringing the accusation, since God never states that Elihu spoke falsely.
2. Job never actually says, "It profits man nothing that he should delight in God."
3. It's a bit hard to stomach the way Elihu is speaking to Job after the man has lost so much that was dear to him.
The narrative of Job appears to support the idea that Elihu really does have wisdom to share, while Job's three friends (and even Job himself) are not spot-on with their views of the world, sin, and the justice of God. So I think it's safe to conclude that Elihu's assessment of Job is correct, even if his coarse way of relaying it is not ideal.
1. My conclusion is that there are two possible meanings to Elihu's words about Job's apparent sinfulness: either he is referring to a metaphorical "company of evil men" to accentuate Job's false views (and thus showing that they are not fitting with the worldview of the righteous), or Job's current group of unhelpful friends are the "evil men." Regardless, Job did sin against God some time between 2:10 ("Job did not sin in what he said") and 34:37 ("[H]e [Job] adds rebellion to his sin...."). The identity of the "company of evil men" is not as significant as the fact that Job is mixed in with them.
What is sinful about Job's words throughout the book? Due to his lack of understanding about "things that are too wonderful" for him, he errs in presuming that God is unjust in His treatment of him. He also thinks that God needs to explain Himself and examine Job's righteous living, whereas Elihu points out that God never needs to examine people further, since He sees their every step (34:21-23). Job's friends spoke falsely when they assumed that Job had done unrighteous deeds to garner such wrath from God, and Job spoke falsely when he implied that it is illogical for God to bring calamity upon a man who lives righteously. In fact, God can do as He pleases; the righteous are never guaranteed a pain-free life, and the wicked are never promised constant pain this side of eternity. This "black and white" understanding of man's righteousness/sinfulness and its relation to his deserved reward/punishment is where Job and his friends miss the mark.
But to go even deeper, God can never be unjust. Even if He visits sorrow upon a person the world considers righteous, no man but Christ is ever truly righteous. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." So if God sovereignly decides to give us difficulty or burden in this lifetime, it is far less than we deserve--because we deserve hell. This is why Elihu can say, "Far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong. For according to the work of a man he will repay him, and according to his ways he will make it befall him" (34:10-11). For all of us, the "work of a man" is evil because we are sinners (saved by grace if we are in Christ).
Job also errs by leaning on his own self-righteousness (33:9-10). It is one thing to live righteously, but it is another thing entirely to declare it openly and presumptuously. Additionally, he claims that God will answer none of man's words; Elihu explains how this is incorrect (33:13-18).
In light of Job's handful of sins, it makes more sense why Elihu would consider him as one who accompanies evil men, and who scoffs at God.
2. Job never actually says, "It profits man nothing that he should delight in God," but he does imply that the one who lives a life for God is no different from the one who lives in wickedness (9:22-24). He says that the righteous and wicked are "all the same" before God--and that He even mocks the calamity of the innocent. This is a grave doctrinal error.
3. I still hold that it is hard to see how Elihu would be justified in speaking to a grieving man in this way. However, if Job had not attempted to justify his righteousness, and had not called God unjust in His ways, Elihu would not have had any reason to respond. It would have been wise for Job to remain silent in his grief, or to simply state that he did not understand why this was happening. But he went on and on about his own righteous living and God's skewed justice; perhaps Elihu grew weary of the lengthy, doctrinally flawed discourses. Maybe he was frustrated with all of these men depicting God in a way that was not accurate, and this came out in his words to Job. He may have not spoken kindly, but he did speak honestly.
1. How can a man who is considered "blameless and upright" also receive the charge that he is a scoffer and in the company of evil men? This is even more puzzling if you consider that Elihu is the one bringing the accusation, since God never states that Elihu spoke falsely.
2. Job never actually says, "It profits man nothing that he should delight in God."
3. It's a bit hard to stomach the way Elihu is speaking to Job after the man has lost so much that was dear to him.
The narrative of Job appears to support the idea that Elihu really does have wisdom to share, while Job's three friends (and even Job himself) are not spot-on with their views of the world, sin, and the justice of God. So I think it's safe to conclude that Elihu's assessment of Job is correct, even if his coarse way of relaying it is not ideal.
1. My conclusion is that there are two possible meanings to Elihu's words about Job's apparent sinfulness: either he is referring to a metaphorical "company of evil men" to accentuate Job's false views (and thus showing that they are not fitting with the worldview of the righteous), or Job's current group of unhelpful friends are the "evil men." Regardless, Job did sin against God some time between 2:10 ("Job did not sin in what he said") and 34:37 ("[H]e [Job] adds rebellion to his sin...."). The identity of the "company of evil men" is not as significant as the fact that Job is mixed in with them.
What is sinful about Job's words throughout the book? Due to his lack of understanding about "things that are too wonderful" for him, he errs in presuming that God is unjust in His treatment of him. He also thinks that God needs to explain Himself and examine Job's righteous living, whereas Elihu points out that God never needs to examine people further, since He sees their every step (34:21-23). Job's friends spoke falsely when they assumed that Job had done unrighteous deeds to garner such wrath from God, and Job spoke falsely when he implied that it is illogical for God to bring calamity upon a man who lives righteously. In fact, God can do as He pleases; the righteous are never guaranteed a pain-free life, and the wicked are never promised constant pain this side of eternity. This "black and white" understanding of man's righteousness/sinfulness and its relation to his deserved reward/punishment is where Job and his friends miss the mark.
But to go even deeper, God can never be unjust. Even if He visits sorrow upon a person the world considers righteous, no man but Christ is ever truly righteous. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." So if God sovereignly decides to give us difficulty or burden in this lifetime, it is far less than we deserve--because we deserve hell. This is why Elihu can say, "Far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong. For according to the work of a man he will repay him, and according to his ways he will make it befall him" (34:10-11). For all of us, the "work of a man" is evil because we are sinners (saved by grace if we are in Christ).
Job also errs by leaning on his own self-righteousness (33:9-10). It is one thing to live righteously, but it is another thing entirely to declare it openly and presumptuously. Additionally, he claims that God will answer none of man's words; Elihu explains how this is incorrect (33:13-18).
In light of Job's handful of sins, it makes more sense why Elihu would consider him as one who accompanies evil men, and who scoffs at God.
2. Job never actually says, "It profits man nothing that he should delight in God," but he does imply that the one who lives a life for God is no different from the one who lives in wickedness (9:22-24). He says that the righteous and wicked are "all the same" before God--and that He even mocks the calamity of the innocent. This is a grave doctrinal error.
3. I still hold that it is hard to see how Elihu would be justified in speaking to a grieving man in this way. However, if Job had not attempted to justify his righteousness, and had not called God unjust in His ways, Elihu would not have had any reason to respond. It would have been wise for Job to remain silent in his grief, or to simply state that he did not understand why this was happening. But he went on and on about his own righteous living and God's skewed justice; perhaps Elihu grew weary of the lengthy, doctrinally flawed discourses. Maybe he was frustrated with all of these men depicting God in a way that was not accurate, and this came out in his words to Job. He may have not spoken kindly, but he did speak honestly.
Thursday, August 2, 2018
New Worship Song: "All Glory to God"
Verse 1:
Our lives were aimless and blind, veiled by
deepest night,
Each step a wandering guess when we couldn’t see
the light.
Distressed and never content, how could we not
know our need?
In war, rebellion and scorn, we battled the God of
peace.
Pre-Chorus:
But You gave Your Son to save us,
And in Him the day is won.
Chorus:
All glory to God,
Who in love draws us near,
Overflowing with grace
And forever here,
Abounding in mercy,
You chose to atone;
Now we sing with the heavens
To You alone.
Verse 2:
Our hearts were stony and scarred; we knew not the
God of grace.
Our minds believed Satan’s lies, and we did not
seek Your face.
Now our hearts are changed forever,
And in joy we follow You.
Chorus
Bridge:
You've given us eyes, and we see
New hearts to believe
By Your love, You have saved us
By grace, we're redeemed
Now forever we'll praise
The God of all days
We delight in the One Who saves
Chorus
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