Stick up for the truth

 

 

READ Job 21-24

These days are filled with supposes. Helped by social media, these imaginations become fact and even conspiracies. The capacity of human suspicion to become true in the minds of those who make up reasons for events and motivations has reached an all-time high. Opposing theories may contain a measure of truth and those caught in the middle are dismayed by a polarization we seldom experienced before now.

Yet this happened in the book of Job. One man’s faith is tested. Unknown to him, Satan gained permission from God to make a guinea pig out of Job to prove that no one would trust the Lord unless the Lord blessed his life with good things. Couple that with the human tendency to think that good comes to the good and suffering comes to those who deserve it, and Job was attacked by those who were called his ‘friends’.

In chapter 21, Job is so frustrated with their insistence that his misery is due to his wickedness, that he says: “Keep listening to my words, and let this be your comfort. Bear with me, and I will speak, and after I have spoken, mock on.” (Job 21:2–3) He seems to have given up on trying to convince them of their error concerning his problems and takes a run at their error in thinking only the wicked suffer. He points out that many evil people live in ease and prosperity, not all, but this notion that only the wicked suffer is wrong. After pointing that out, he says, “How then will you comfort me with empty nothings? There is nothing left of your answers but falsehood.” (Job 21:34)

Eliphaz answers him with surprising vehemence. His accusations against Job are shocking. Some of what he says may apply in other situations, but he is shooting at the wrong target. Isn’t this a common practice? Today’s newspaper is filled with blame misdirected. In Job’s situation, this “you are guilty” attitude overrides any compassion that should have been there for a man hurting without any obvious reasons for his pain.

But Job is not stupidly listening to them. He knows these accusations are not true. He knows the grace of God’s salvation and that his life is not the reason for his suffering. He is deeply aware and deeply troubled that God knows — but is silent. That silence is as painful as the sores on his body and the losses of his children and his possessions. Note the gems in this declaration he makes:

“Behold, I go forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I do not perceive him; on the left hand when he is working, I do not behold him; he turns to the right hand, but I do not see him. But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold. My foot has held fast to his steps; I have kept his way and have not turned aside. I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food. But he is unchangeable, and who can turn him back? What he desires, that he does. For he will complete what he appoints for me, and many such things are in his mind. Therefore I am terrified at his presence; when I consider, I am in dread of him. God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me; yet I am not silenced because of the darkness, nor because thick darkness covers my face.” (Job 23:8–17)

Job knows that God knows. Job also knows he is being tested. He knows that he will pass the test and come through it — like pure gold eventually comes from the crucible. He knows God does not change and has reasons for what He is doing. This is a fearsome thing, but His silence and the darkness Job is experiencing has not stopped him from defending the truth that he knows. He is not being punished for some hidden sin!

He also knows the ways of God with those who seem to prosper but are sinful. He says,

“They wrong the barren, childless woman, and do no good to the widow. Yet God prolongs the life of the mighty by his power; they rise up when they despair of life. He gives them security, and they are supported, and his eyes are upon their ways. They are exalted a little while, and then are gone; they are brought low and gathered up like all others; they are cut off like the heads of grain. If it is not so, who will prove me a liar and show that there is nothing in what I say?” (Job 24:21–25)

I used to think that Job was a whiner, but now I see the man debating his ‘friends’ for truth. In the NT, God speaks telling readers to, “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” in response to those who perverted the grace of God. Job did that even in his great anguish. He gives me a great example to follow. 

 

Fight? Or just observe?

 

2 Chronicles 9; Zephaniah 1; Luke 23; Jude

I joined an online book club. The first book was excellent — about prayer. It encouraged me to pray with greater faith and enthusiasm. The second book was written by a “spiritual leader” who has a great reputation but his approach is narrow. To him, the saving power of Jesus Christ is not important. He sees Jesus as unjustly treated, something he himself identified with, and promotes liberation theology.

My position on injustice is that God is the ultimate judge. By His criteria none of us deserve anything but wrath for we all sin and fall short. However, God is also merciful and loves us so He sent Jesus to die in our place. Once He granted me the grace to believe that truth, I could see the depths of my sinfulness and the wonder of His grace. I also realize that I cannot demand anything from Him and have no rights outside of being “in Christ” and being His adopted child.

This morning, I’m thinking that I don’t want to read that book. It is full of useless human wisdom, the stuff I fight with in my desire to “trust the Lord with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding.” Why read that which promotes the ideas that oppose faith in Christ alone? Besides, the online discussion could be hot as Christians and perhaps those hooked on false teaching will discuss the merits of this author’s ideas. I’m not sure I want to be involved. However, today’s readings point in another direction. For instance, this passage:

Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. (Jude 3–4)

Jude seems to know where I am at. He says to contend for the faith. Contention is about fighting, yet not nasty name-calling. It means speaking the truth in love with the hope that those stuck in human reasoning will hear the Holy Spirit and recognize their need to honor the grace of God.

Yet the other side of the coin is illustrated by a man who told me that he was in the Franklin Mint and noticed a wall display of counterfeit money. He said to an official, “You must need to really study this to discern fake bills.” The man said, “No, not at all. We study the real stuff and the fake becomes very easy to spot.”

I’ve a relative who is in a cult. I do not study their teachings, just the Bible. They are like most false teachers — able to sound good to anyone who does not know the truth. Jude’s words also suggest ungodly people were ‘designated’ or part of God’s plan, perhaps to strengthen our spiritual muscles yet they are already under His judgment.

Today’s passage from Zephaniah refers to that condemnation and judgment:

“I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord. “I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, and the rubble with the wicked. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord . . . . “I will bring distress on mankind, so that they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the Lord; their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of the Lord. In the fire of his jealousy, all the earth shall be consumed; for a full and sudden end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.” (Zephaniah 1:2-3; 17–18)

If anyone thinks this is impossible, perhaps the current pandemic is evidence to show that God can do whatever He determines to do! I’m not very interesting in standing too close to those who deny Christ by looking at their efforts to be ‘religious’ apart from His saving power. Such self-righteousness has been my nemesis also.

APPLY: Instead, I need to look at Jesus. Luke 23 describes His arrest and crucifixion, not for anything He had done except to declare His identity and incur the wrath of those who wanted to be left alone to do their own thing. Jesus died asking forgiveness for those who put Him on the cross, forgiving a criminal who was crucified with Him, and willingly committing Himself to the Father in death.

The story does not end here. The God who became man could not stay dead because death is about sin’s punishment; He had no sin. He lives and He walks with those who put their lives into His hands. Our message is not about our suffering or our ‘rights’ but about His victory on our behalf. He did many things but without dying and rising from the dead, my faith in Him ends with this life instead of never-ending life. Today, I want to praise Jesus for all He was and is, has done and will do. He is my Lord and Savior and God over all.