Life Matters - October 2, 2024
‘’Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in His goodness; otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.’’ (Romans 11:22) God is Love. His Love is perfect because it is holy and holy because it is perfect. In that perfect holy Love is a severity against sin. God cannot be otherwise because He is the definition of Good. His goodness, however, does allow for mercy. When the price for sin (death) has been paid. Jesus did this for us when He died on the cross. He proved His all-sufficiency when He came out of the tomb and showed Himself alive to many witnesses. He is the fulfillment of Promise that Old Testament saints looked forward to by faith. He is the One we look to by faith in the New dispensation of our time. Old and New Testament saints are one body in Christ. ‘’There is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved.’’ (Acts 4:12)
It is with faith in Christ that we are called upon to ‘’endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.’’ (II Timothy 2:3) We are to endure hardness against any digs and maneuverings against the faith in Christ being the only name given among men whereby we must be saved. He alone is sufficient. His Life is and was eternal. He was in God when the world was founded, the Word that spoke the world into existence. (John chapter one) His loving word created, His loving word upholds ‘’by the word of His power.’’ (Hebrews 1:3) and His love will set all things right, in order, at the end of time. If we are saved it will be ‘’not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.’’ (Titus 3:5)
Though we may experience times when it seems distant and fading, yet, God’s Word endures, His Promise is sure. (Hebrews 6:17-18) Immutable.
God, then, looks for a certain kind of fruit from us. Dependence. With His goodness flowing into and through us as a connection to the true vine, a connection to His everlasting spring of pure water, overcoming power flowing from His goodness. It is the connection drawing us into a proper fear of God, respect for Him and His Word, a right response to God and His Word and finally an adoration for Him that desires and protects that connection with God above all else and all others.
Do we not, however, have daily pressure from all sides to shift our ultimate loyalty from God to man? To have the fear of God fade from our reality and shift to that bane of all Christianity: the fear of man? ‘’The fear of man bringeth a snare.’’ (Proverbs 29:25) And so it is. And so it does. The fashion industry is driven by a desire for affirmation from the masses. So is Hollywood. So are DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) requirements or any such-like social governance, or any institution designed to reshape the concept of morality away from God’s Word to man’s word. Whom we turn to for ultimate affirmation, do we not also give our fear of rejection – our fear of invoking his, her, or their, displeasure? We cannot help it. It’s the way we are made. It’s what makes child training possible. It’s the way we are wired, if you will.
It's the way Job’s three (childish?) friends were wired and in desperation, exasperation or both, it seems, they went about to rewire Job the same way, thinking they were doing God service. But they couldn’t find the main entrance. About the time they thought they found it they were rebuffed every time by Job’s exasperating tumult of words that justified himself before God.
So they finally gave up. (chapter 32 verse 1) Another man speaks up. A younger man. Elihu first ‘’goes off’’ on the older men’s credentials. Then, how they continued to discredit themselves until he (Elihu) had all he could take of their condemning of Job without giving him an answer, no path to reconciliation. (chapter 32 verse 3) Elihu went on and spoke up for God, showing how God, being righteous in His Almighty power, was not one to accuse of being unfair, that all things were made by Him and we have no standing upon which to accuse our Lawgiver. He is the One who makes the rules. The best we can do is abide by His rules. Elihu finishes his sermon to Job; ‘’Men do therefore fear him: he (God) respecteth not any that are wise of heart.’’ (we expect he means wise in one’s own conceit)
Job’s understanding is then opened and his spiritual ears attuned to God’s voice. And God spoke. By the time God is done, Job is thoroughly humbled as he sees that God answers to no one, only to Himself. Job, in speaking to God, concludes with these words; ‘’I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.’’ (chapter 42 verses 5-6)
Hurricane Helene again reminds us that God and His creation answer to no one. Not saying this is one, but God’s Word tells us there will be adverse weather events in the last days. Those attempting to skirt those events by legislating ‘’climate change initiatives’’ may well find themselves fighting against God. Guess who wins? May we be won over as Job was. I’m sure he has never regretted, still rejoices in that decision, as he beholds the goodness of God.
Life Matters!