Pride

Will you discredit my justice and condemn me just to prove you are right? [Job 40.8]

The question above was from God to Job.

So, we might accurately understand the following fact from this question: Job erroneously discredited God's justice and thereby condemned God to justify himself.

In more understandable words, Job refused to acknowledge that he deserved God's punishment. Instead, he claimed innocence and made God out to be unfair.

Job was operating in blind pride.

This is the same problem we experience in life today. We fail to acknowledge punishment for what it is. What is worse is that we largely embrace the punishment and fail to realize the benefit it brings, repentance and restoration. We have become entirely fixated on the box instead of the gift!

When we embrace punishment (clearly defined in Deuteronomy 28.15-68), we have a short-sighted view of God's love. Yes, the Bible very much teaches that the LORD disciplines those He loves (Hebrews 12.6), but the discipline is only the "box." The full expression of our Father's love is discipline that leads to repentance that leads to restoration!

So, does God give random "gifts" of discipline? Ask Job! It was a painful and humiliating journey to his conclusion, but Job eventually conceded that his discipline was deserved. No, Job did not receive a random "gift" of discipline from God, but finally understood that his punishment came as a result of his pride!

The story of Job provides great instruction and insight for us today. It provides much for the New Testament Church to ponder! Here are some examples of what we might consider:

1. Pride was Satan's fall and subsequent tool of deception
2. Pride deserves punishment / requires repentance
3. Punishment was defined in Deuteronomy 28.15-68 and has not changed
4. The curses for disobedience (Deuteronomy 28.15-68) are Satan's toolbox
5. The pre-Christ and post-Christ role of the devil is the same (accuser, destroyer...)
6. The pre-Christ and post-Christ authority of the devil is different
7. The dominion of Christ AND His followers

These are just a few considerations, but should help us all to arrive at more accurate conclusions about the life we live in Christ as it pertains to "curses" we experience in life.

At no point should we ever buy in to doctrine that makes punishment "good." God's intention with punishment has not changed but remains to draw us to repentance and restoration.

Whether we ever get this figured out or not, we must, at all cost, avoid a prideful denial of guilt when anything defined in Deuteronomy 28.15-68 (curses for disobedience) come our way.

Will you discredit my justice and condemn me just to prove you are right? [Job 40.8]

Father, my mind has been filled with so many confusing pictures of You over the years. Christianity has become a proud religion with doctrines to prove it. We have come to call evil "good" and good "evil." Please forgive us as we forgive one another of this tragic misrepresentation of You. May Your Kingdom come! May YOUR WILL BE DONE AS IT IS IN HEAVEN where none of the Deuteronomy 28.15-68 curses exist!