The Gospel Of Jesus In The Book Of Job

“Have I put my trust in money or felt secure because of my gold? [Job 31.24] 

Through this question, along with many other questions and statements, Job defends his character. The statement made in the question above is that Job had not made an idol of money.

As Job's defense of himself goes, in context with God's severe rebuke that would follow, all of Job's good deeds, including not trusting in money, could not balance out the deficit in his life caused by pride.

Good deeds were in fact required and necessary, however, as good as they were, all Job's good deeds were inadmissible before the throne of God because of Job's pride. Job was depending upon himself and his own successful manward character preservation as evidence against God for what Job believed was unjust punishment upon his life. Well... that didn't work out.

Here is a question for us: If Job had simply been humble and not proud, would he have been justified before God if he had trusted in his money or had committed any of the other offenses he declared himself innocent of? Of course not! And yet, men today justify their disobedient idolatry and sin because they have "humbly trusted in Jesus!" 

Humble faith is obedient faith. It was Jesus' humility and obedience that made Him our example by obediently giving up His own way and humbly taking up His Cross. Do we dare presume that the same Holy Spirit Who enabled Jesus' humility and obedience enables our humility and disobedience? Of course not! Jesus removed any doubt in His demand:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

Giving up our own way is obedience.

Taking up our cross is humility.

"Following Jesus" is an oxymoron for anyone "proud and/or disobedient." 

The entire work of the Holy Spirit is to enable us the same way He enabled Jesus. The Holy Spirit does not enable idolatry and sin. The Holy Spirit does not enable pride.

Even though Job had apparently succeeded in avoiding idolatry and sin (obedience), he did not succeed in avoiding pride (humility) and so, nothing else mattered. Job did not have the Holy Spirit.

The fulness of a life in Christ is being full of the Holy Spirit. The fulness of a life in Christ is being humble and obedient. Our advantage today over Job is that we have the Holy Spirit to enable us in the obedience and humility of Jesus Christ thus qualifying us for every blessing and protection before the Father, God.

To say we are saved and filled with the Holy Spirit and still live in willful pride and/or disobedience is blasphemy. It is indeed a violation of the 3rd Commandment:

You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.7]

It is the faith-initiated, Holy Spirit enabled character of Christ that transports us to God. 

Humble faith is the beginning:

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. [Ephesians 2.8-9]

And, obedient work is the end result:

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. [Ephesians 2.10] 

Again, Job did not have this advantage.

But we do. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is highlighted in the book of Job.

What are we doing with it?

Father, it is obvious from Your Word that humility and obedience work together in "following Jesus." Help me - help us all to obediently give up our own way, humbly take up our cross, and follow Jesus. And, may we recognize the power of Your Holy Spirit enabling us to do so. So be it.