READINGS FOR MARCH 21, 2024: JOB 23, ROMANS 6, PSALM 22:1-11 JOB 23 Job’s questions and comments in chapter 21 could easily be ours. There are echoes of Job’s musings throughout the Bible. Let’s use Job thoughts to see how a more comprehensive review of the Bible, not possible for Job, might guide us today in our understanding.
God’s Presence. In verses 1-9 Job asks where he could he find God, what he would say to God, and how God would respond to him? Apparently, Job experienced a communication blackout from God during his testing. Regardless of how certain Old Testament figures experienced God’s presence, we know there was a relational separation due to sin that only Jesus’s work could overcome: “We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:20-21). As Jesus facilitated reconciliation, the Holy Spirit is now how we experience God’s presence: “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever; the Helper is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17).
God’s Judgment. In verses 10-12, Job asserts that he has been faithful to God’s ways and will eventually be found so by God. We know from James 5:11 that Job’s endurance was met by God with compassion and mercy. We also know from Romans that those before the cross are saved by faith. So, Job’s confidence in God’s judgment is well founded. On this side of the cross, we are saved because of our faith in Jesus: “Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” (John 5:24). Yet, even as believers, our works will be judged/evaluated at the Judgment Seat of Christ: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive compensation for his deeds done through the body, in accordance with what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10).
God’s Unique Holiness. In verses 13-16, Job reflects that God’s holiness is not a trifle to be ignored. This will be on full display at the Great White Throne Judgment, which is in store for those without faith in Jesus: “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds...And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20: 11-12, 15).
READINGS FOR MARCH 21, 2024: ROMANS 6, PSALM 22:1-11 ROMANS 6 Paul goes to great lengths to be sure he is not misunderstood. Just because grace increases more than sin, we should not sin more to increase grace. That would be an afront to Jesus, who died to save us from the power of sin.
Paul then uses the act of baptism as a physical representation of the spiritual transformation that happens upon putting our faith in Jesus. We are buried with the crucified Jesus in water baptism, and we emerge with the risen Jesus to newness of life. This dramatizes the death of the sinful self to become alive in Christ. Water baptism publicly announces our salvation butdoes not save us. For example, Paul, then Saul, was called a brother by Ananias before baptism. Later, Cornelius received the gift of the Spirit before baptism. Baptism followed soon afterwards both times, as it did on the Day of Pentecost. Baptism acknowledges Jesus before others: “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven” (John 10:33). Baptism lifts up the Gospel: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16).
Paul warns those who have experienced this new life to no longer allow sin and its lusts reign in our bodies. This must have been a danger or else Paul would not have mentioned it. Even though we are transformed spiritually, Paul states we still continually need to present ourselves to God as slaves of righteousness. Paul says this ongoing process leads to sanctification or personal holiness. He reminds us that the end result of sin leads to death as opposed to the gift of salvation, which leads to eternal life. LET’S NOT SIN.
PSALM 22:1-11 Here David expresses what he truly felt, and likely
This real-time look into David mind is a fascinating model for us. Are we brave enough to share with God our real feelings and the really bad experiences we are having? Do we bring our historical and theological knowledge to bear in our self-talk, along with looking back at how God has walked with us throughout life? Do we bring everything to the table when going though problems? Or do we just stew in our sadness or feel guilty for how we are feeling? What a model for us! Stopping at verse 11 is hard to do, but let’s stick with the plan.
