Job 25:4 (ESV)

How then can man be in the right before God?

How can he who is born of woman be pure?

By the time we get to Job 25 Eliphaz has tried to convince Job of his sin three times. Bildad and Zophar have each given it a try twice. Now, in six short verses, Bildad wraps up their attack by concluding that Job must be wrong because it is impossible for anyone to be right before God. He is correct. How can anyone be right before God? Yet, he doesn’t really solve the issue. For Job it is not an issue of whether he deserves what he has, but an issue of justice. Why does he get pain while those even more wicked get pleasure?

Like Bildad, Eliphaz made that argument back in chapter 4, and again in chapter 15. Job acknowledged that truth in chapter 9. The Psalmist acknowledged that same truth in Psalms 143:2 where he writes, “For no one living is righteous before you.” This is not a wrong statement. We often hear, “What did I do to deserve this?” The reality is that we all deserve worse than we get. That is why a heart of gratitude is so important. It doesn’t answer the question of injustice, but it does raise a valid question. How is it possible for anyone to be right before God? Psalms 130:3 asks it like this,

If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,

O Lord, who could stand?

Therein lies the Good News. “If you should mark iniquity, who could stand?” Our goodness, our righteousness is never found in ourselves. Moses wrote, in Psalms 90:8,

You have set our iniquities before you,

our secret sins in the light of your presence.

There is nothing hid from God. With him there is no such thing as secret sins. Thankfully Psalm 130 does not stop with the question, “Who could stand?” It goes on to say,

Psalms 130:4-6a (ESV)

But with you there is forgiveness,

that you may be feared.

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,

and in his word I hope;

my soul waits for the Lord

Job understood this. He agreed with Bildad and Eliphaz back in Job 9:2 when he asked, “How can a man be right before God?” But he also understood, “that my redeemer lives” (Job 19:25). If God were only just we would all perish. Thankfully he is also merciful. When I begin to realize that because of Christ I will never receive from God what I deserve, I am overwhelmed. I am reminded of the gospel chorus Why Should He Love Me So?

Love sent my savior to die in my stead;
Why should He love me so?
Meekly to Calvary's cross He was led;
Why should He love me so?

  

I am grateful that because of Christ I don’t get what I deserve. The good news is that God will accept us, not because we are good enough, but because Jesus took our sin. Believe it. Job understood that. His friends didn’t get it. Do you?