Job 25:1-6 No Man Is Pure

Bildad is ready for round three with Job. Instead of arguing Job’s sin, Bildad makes a blanket statement; NO man is pure!

I can find no fault in this statement. On his own, man is NOT pure. Paul writes to the Romans, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). This is said to make those that would follow Jesus in Rome recognize that we ALL need a Savior. That we ALL have, at one time or another in our lives, sinned against God.

This doesn’t mean that we all have murdered someone or stolen something. But I can bet my life on the fact that ALL of us have lied at least once in our lives. It might have been the famous childhood one of saying, “Not me” or “I don’t know” when a parent questions us about some misdeed being done. It could be the “age” or “weight” lie used by those of us who are a bit vain. It could be the “IRS” lie where you omit something or over claim to get a better outcome on your income taxes. They ALL count as “lies” so we are all essentially liars when judged against God’s perfect standard.

I bet that even Job lied at one time as a child.

But God doesn’t leave us there. He made a way for our sins to be forgiven. First it was through His Law and offering sacrifices. The blood of the animal covered the sins of man. Finally it was through Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf. Jesus’ blood washed our sins away instead of just covers them. When I bring my sins to Him and ask for forgiveness, He is faithful and just to clean me again and restore our relationship.

We know that Job was clean in God’s eyes at the time of his distress. God wouldn’t have held him up as His ‘gold standard’ otherwise. Job had brought his earlier sins to God and was in good standing with God. So, although Bildad’s argument was technically correct, it was still wrong.

And when we give our lives to God we are no longer a “maggot” or a “worm”. We are children of God! We are precious in His sight. He holds us up and brags about us too. He tells anyone who will listen how precious we are to Him. He delights in seeing what we will do with His gifts. We are fearfully and wonderfully made and He LOVES to watch us grow. I am a child of the King!

I will NEVER claim to have arrived at this standing on my own! It is a gift from God. But I will also endeavor to never again discount the work He has done in me. This is a hard one for me at times. I see the faults in me; even the ones I KNOW He has forgiven. I want to be like Job and boldly say that I am righteous. But I find myself reaching for that word again; “BUT”…

Help me Father God. When I asked You to show me what You wanted me to take from our reading today, I never figured it would be this! How do I put down all the labels I have placed on myself and take up only the one You made for me? How do I move my heart from “not good enough” to “chosen child of the King”? It is a BIG leap for me and I didn’t even realize it until just now. I know the words but let it sink deeper than just words: “I am fearfully and wonderfully made!” “I am a child of the Living God.” “I am loved, just as I am.” And “I am YOURS FOREVER!” Thank You Father for loving me and sending me Jesus. Without Him I am nothing. But with Him I’ll never fail!