Blameless before a Holy God

Steadfast in the Pursuit of God  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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The Question of how to be blameless before God deserves an answer

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Questions like this are fun to think about, but they do not have any serious impact on our lives. There are other questions, that when we actually consider them, are much more important and do have real impact on our lives. These are questions such as “Why am I here?” or “What is the purpose of life?” or even the question that asks, “Do my actions really matter?”
Questions like this are fun to think about, but they do not have any serious impact on our lives. There are other questions, that when we actually consider them, are much more important and do have real impact on our lives. These are questions such as “Why am I here?” or “What is the purpose of life?” or even the question that asks, “Do my actions really matter?”
There are many important questions that are asked throughout the book of Job, and we are going to look at one of them this morning from the ninth chapter. Friend Bildad has just completed his first session probing for Job’s hidden sin in the eighth chapter. Bildad has just basically told Job that his 10 children died due to their sinfulness (8:4), and that the hope of the godless is like leaning on a spider’s web (8:13-14), and then he tells Job that “God will not reject a blameless man (8:30).
In his reply to Bildad, Job agrees with most of Bildad’s theology, but he asks the very penetrating question, “How can a man be in the right before God?’ This is an excellent question, and it is one that requires an answer from each of us. So, let’s turn to Job chapter 9 and read the first 14 verses together.
READ TEXT:
The picture we have of Job from the 9th and 10th chapters shows a man at the bottom. Job is frustrated by his comforters, distraught by his losses and physical condition, upset by the silence of God, and is becoming hopeless in his quest for vindication. He questions the justice of God, states that God is indifferent to the suffering of the righteous, and states there is no point in trying to please Him.
Job’s complaints are the result of him agreeing with Bildad about God not rejecting a blameless man, but then discovering the seeming impossibility of being blameless before God. Before we judge Job too harshly, lets look at the reasons for his frustrations in trying to answer the question

Some try to push their way past God’s standards and force God to accept them (2)

Explanation: Job has the desire to show his personal integrity. He refuses to let go of his integrity (which is a good thing!), but his approach to proving this is his attempt to bring God to court to justify His actions. This is not a good idea, and Job seems to realize the difficulties. He begins by admitting his chances of contending with God are very small (v. 3). In reality, Job’s chances at this are zero! One of the reasons (and there are many) is that God is All Powerful. God is the Creator, God is the One who is able to move mountains, He is the One who creates the stars, and the One who controls the sun. This is incredible power and a mere man is helpless before the power of God.
Illustrate: The Allies forcing the surrender of the axis powers in WWII. The Japanese were not going to give up until 2 atomic bombs were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Argument: Some people look at the power of our technology and think we as humans are unstoppable. If we set our minds to something that opposes us, we can overpower it with technology. Going to the moon? Not a problem, we can overcome the obstacles. The modern American “can-do” attitude is good for a lot of accomplishments, but NO ONE is going to “power past” God and simply achieve righteousness on his or her own
Application: Humility is fast disappearing in our culture, but when we compare ourselves to God’s power in the Creation and sustaining of the Universe it should be our natural reaction. Reflect on , and repent of our self-attempts at becoming blameless. Remember it is the meek who will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5)
Explanation: Job also realizes the futility of trying to outsmart God in a court room. Job doesn’t comprehend the full nature of God, but He does realize that God’s ways are beyond him. Job knows that when God intervenes, it is beyond his limited perception. Job knows that God

Some try to get mercy from God, but without admitting fault ()

Explanation: Job also realizes the futility of trying to outsmart God in a court room. Job doesn’t comprehend the full nature of God, but He does realize that God’s ways are beyond him. Job knows that when God intervenes, it is beyond his limited perception. Job knows that God is so far beyond him, that he would be reduced to a quivering heap, unable to speak with clarity.
Since Job knows this, he seems to realize that his only course of action is to appeal to God for mercy. And Job is on the right path at this point, but then he reaches the stumbling block of his unwillingness to admit fault. Job doesn’t want to accept God’s mercy if it requires him to accept blame
Illustrate: the poem Invictus. Some don’t think they will even need mercy.
Argument: One of humanity’s greatest sins is that of pride. We are created in the image of God, and we are capable of great things. But, we are still, and will forever remain as creatures. We are not sufficient within ourselves to master ourselves due to our sin nature which corrupts the image within.
Regardless of Humanist Manifestos and the intellectual capabilities of elitist scientists & economists & politicians, we are not smart enough or capable enough to fix ourselves. We do need the mercy of God, and therefore, we must admit our sins and shortcomings
Application: Know that God resists the proud, but that He gives grace to the humble (). See also . Do not led pride stand between you and a Holy God. Admit your sin and repent of it with humility

Some just vent and complain and talk about the unfairness of God ()

Explanation: Job then goes on a rant against what he perceives as the unfairness of God. Job accuses God of overpowering him (vv. 16-19), states that the terrors of God overwhelms him (vv. 20-21), and then concludes that it doesn’t matter what he does of says because God is just unfair! (vv. 22-24). At this point it seems as if Job has given up on his quest of achieving blameless status before God. He thinks the system is rigged and there is no point in trying anymore!
Explanation: being in a lose-lose situation where it doesn’t seem to matter what you do, it just gets worse.
Argument: Many who endure pain and suffering find themselves in a similar situation. It seems that life is completely unfair, it doesn’t matter what they do, but things just get worse. This is a difficult place, and a pity party is one of the hardest parties to leave.
Application: When we focus on ourselves and our unpleasant (and even unfair circumstances) we will continue in despair. And that leads us to Job’s next thoughts on considering his situation.

Some finally realize that even with their best efforts, they are still in the pit ()

Explanation: Job’s conclusion: it really doesn’t matter. I try to live a righteous life, I am kind to others, I try to honor God, and what has it gotten me? I am still wallowing in the pit! I try, and try to be good, but before God, my best efforts still leave me reeking of sin.
Illustration: There are people who are kind to others, who practice the Golden Rule, they attend church, and give to charities. They are good citizens and they obey the law and try to help their fellow man.
Argument: Job is hitting on a well-tried approach of attempting to find favor with God. Though many have tried it in the past, and many still attempt it in the present, it is doomed to failure. The idea of tipping the scales in our favor with God is a foolish notion. Lots of people live their lives thinking that as long as the good outweighs the bad, God is going to let them into Heaven.
This is utterly wrong and will lead to an eternal separation from God. The reality is that no one is capable of doing enough good to tip the scales. This concept has the wrong idea about the scales that are involved. We look at our own understanding of what we consider good in one tray with the our personal idea of our bad in the other tray. The actual scales used have God’s perfect standard of holiness in one tray and our best efforts (tainted by sin) in the other tray. The tray with God’s holiness is so weighty, there is nothing we can put in the other tray to tip it in our favor. (cf Isaiah 64:6)

After realizing the hopelessness of attempting to be blameless before a Holy God, there are those who realize they need an Advocate ()

Explanation: When the enormity of the impossibility of his quest to be blameless before God finally hits home, Job begins to see the need of outside help. In v. 32 Job is confessing that God is beyond his limited ability to handle. Job realizes that if an umpire existed, an Arbitrator, who could represent both parties, then he could handle the case.
Illustrate: There are situations that require the services of an Arbitrator. When two parties are dead-locked, and there is no reasonable resolution on the horizon, a judge can assign an Arbitrator to present a solution. SSBC was planning on going to arbitration with the contractors for our new sanctuary.
Argument: Job is limited in his understanding of the type of Arbitrator needed. He is thinking in terms of a court case with the proceedings taking place between two equal parties. This is the shadow of the idea of the Messiah. In the progressive revelation of God, He shares more and more about our Advocate, and He is fully revealed in the Incarnation as the God-man.
In His Holiness, God knew that sinful humans could never obtain righteousness on their own. He knew that the thoughts of our heart were continually set on evil () and that one our own, we would not even seek Him out (). That is why Jesus came. He came to seek us out, He came to call the lost to Himself () and to build His bride the Church.
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