My righteousness still stands! Can you say that?

Job was a man who lived far, far, far away from anything like the Cross. But nonetheless, even the most ancient saints of the Bible somehow understood that a sacrifice was something that could symbolize divine mercy (think of Abel and his prophetic sacrifice of a Lamb). Those who understood the power of these sacrifices therefore had an understanding of their righteous standing before God.

Today's Reading: Job 4 - 7, Ps. 3

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And Job had often made sacrifices and he did the practice even on behalf of his children. This is a man who intercedes. But deep inside, Job was always living in such fear “The thing I greatly feared has come upon me,” he cried, “and what I dreaded has happened to me.” That’s one reason he offered daily sacrifices.

And when these calamities happened, he immediately concludes that God had done such a thing to him. Like his friends believed, he also thought that bad things happen to bad people... His friends, however, logically deduced from this erroneous belief, that Job had sinned. 

But Job wasn’t ready to say the same… and it nearly drove him insane as he thought “Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, So that I am a burden to myself?” The thought that God was punishing him and he had no idea why combined with the added scorn on the part of his friends understandably unnerved him greatly. But though his head tried as hard as it might to reconcile these two things – “1: God is punishing me and 2: but I haven’t sinned?!”, he could never let go and admit that God was punishing him because of sin. He never did that. God was punishing him – yes, he agreed. But because he was not righteous? – NO WAY.

“…my righteousness still stands!” he angrily shouted back at his friends (Job 6:29)

If bad things happen to you today, be like Job in this regard – never let go of your assurance of being righteous in Christ. That attitude is one of the most Christ-Honoring mindsets you can ever have. Of course we are frail and weak and we sin daily and we also, as His children, fight these misdeeds by the Spirit. But this is how you really esteem His Sacrifice as the Lamb of God, and appreciate the real power of His blood to cleanse you from sin, past, present and future. Yes – you might be suffering the consequences of stupid decisions and actions you have made; fix them. As you sow, you reap, embracing this is only wise.

But do not be like Job in the way of his erroneous thinking; do not ever think this is your Father punishing you. What good father would ever bring harm to his children? Discipline and closed doors and plans not working out and failed endeavors – these are not the bad things we are talking about and yes sometimes God engineers them lovingly. And now we say, what Good Father would ever harm His children? (Many Christians today sadly believe that He can because they are precisely thinking in the same mindset Job had – and it brings, naturally, immense confusion and spiritual paralysis!)

Bottom line: If you can stand secure in your righteousness in Christ, you have won half the battle. All that remains is to remember God’s promises and love to you… and keep marching on in it.

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David Roiel

The Green Leaf Blog-Discover your inheritance!