Irreproachable Blamelessness

Wednesday morning, July 30, 2008
Another quote from Mason's book, "The Gospel According to Job": "In Job we read the remarkable story of an Old Testament believer who somehow intuitively grasped and accepted this astounding message—so much so that even when he was tempted to the very uttermost to let go of it, still he held to it firmly against all odds. Under attack Job groaned, he wailed, he doubted and fell into deep depression, he lashed out like an infuriated animal—and yes, he even sinned. Yet when it came to this one point regarding the settled fact of his status of irreproachable blamelessness before the Lord, he refused to give an inch. Having placed his trust totally in God, he violently resisted the notion that there might still be some other step he should take, something else he must "do," to gain God's favor under adverse circumstances" (p. 22).
The thing that amazes me is that Job had this incredible insight without the benefit of the New Testament! Somehow, he knew beyond question that his standing with God was a settled fact that had nothing to do with Job or with Job's performance. He had to have known that Someone had done for him what he could never have done for himself, and he knew it without the benefit of the New Testament! Like Abraham, in hope against hope, he believed God.
Sadly, most people who call themselves Christians, who attend church every Sunday, who do have the benefit of the New Testament, never see what Job saw, they never come to know the settled fact of their irreproachable blamelessness before God; consequently, they are always seeking to find that illusive "one more step" they can take that will rid them of their sense of guiltiness. Talk about self-centeredness; this is probably the epitome of it!
You see, until one accepts the settled fact of his/her irreproachable blamelessness before God AND the reason for that "irreproachable blamelessness," that one will continue down the endless road of self-centered religion, futilely attempting to earn what is already his/hers.
Have a wonderful, grace-filled day!
Mac