36. Steadfast Faith

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Hymns: RHC 339 When I Fear My Faith Will Fail; 336 Only Believe; Pressing On! (Front Cover inset)

Job 13:13-22

13Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will. 14Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand? 15Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. 16He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him. 17Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears. 18Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified. 19Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost. 20Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee. 21Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid. 22Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me. (Job 13:13-22 KJV)

Steadfast Faith

OUTLINE

  • Come What Will (v13-15)
  • Assurance of Salvation and Uprightness (v16-18)
  • Not the Decredit of Gainsayers (v19-22)

INTRODUCTION

A believer’s confidence in declaring his justification before God amidst every suffering endured is evidence of a matured faith. Such a faith is not dependent upon mortal comfort to justify it. It describes a insoluable bond sealed in the intricacy of human conviction borne out of sincere love and steadfast loyalty. A most admirable life of faith for our emulation. A testament to a most enduring and fulfilling life on earth.

Is there a price beyond which one is not willing to pay for that life with God? Is our love for God conditional upon our well-being? Why do we enter into life with our God? Is there any other motive than to reciprocate His unconditional, sacrificial love for our soul’s sake? Pertinent questions that test if our faith is genuine, real and true!

A life willing to stake all to prove God’s faithfulness will not be disappointed in the final analysis. May we learn well this lesson of Job’s steadfast faith.

  • Come What Will (v13-15)
  • Assurance of Salvation and Uprightness (v16-18)
  • Not the Decredit of Gainsayers (v19-22)
  • Come What Will (v13-15)

13Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will. 14Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand? 

Job’s faith in God was steadfast. Whatever may be the circumstances that can come upon him even unto death, he will not give up his faith, forsake his Lord, undermine His Name. He says these words amidst his sufferings. In other words, his faith in God is independent of his circumstances.

He was willing to stake all to defend his integrity before God and his friends. He will not buckle amidst the accusations of his friends because he knew whom he had believed.

The Apostle Paul articulated his faith in God that is not dependent of his circumstances. He understood that the gospel is not a prosperity doctrine that is so much a distortion of the truth of the gospel.

Philippians 4:11-12 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewithto be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

There are those under the deception of the prosperity gospel becoming disillusioned after coming to faith when they found that their bank account does not go up but has gone down! Its an “upside” gospel that cannot have a “downside” or else such ones will become unhappy with their life with God.

Let come on me what will – Job is prepared for any worse case scenarios that can come to him. He will not give up his faith in God’s care for him. There is no price that can be tagged to the saving of our souls when the Son of God had to hand on a cross in agony and blood to purchase our redemption. Jesus did not come to be our healer or teacher when He came on earth but He came as a Saviour. There is no greater miracle than the new birth, Christ in us, the hope of glory. Job understood this truth.

James Smith asked rightly to the believer of his eternal hope that impacts his present life’s actions, “What we think of Jesus? What do we think of His divinity, as one with the Father? Of His humanity, as one with us? Of His unique person, as God and man, one in Christ? What think we of His sacrifice for sin? What think we of His grace as displayed in the work of our redemption? 

What think we of His word, as the ground of our hope, the source of our comfort, and the rule of our lives? What think we of His kingdom? What think we of His coming? How do we think of Jesus? Do we think of Him frequently, as of a subject full of pleasure? Naturally, as we think of refreshing food? Pleasantly, as we think of delightful music? Or, only seldom do we think of Him, and then with gloom, and without love and ardent desire? What does our thinking of Christ produce? Does it produce desire, love, trust, resolution, prayer, action? What are we willing to suffer for Christ? What are we willing to give up for Christ? What can we cheerfully give to Christ, to feed His poor, or to help His cause?”

 15Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. 

For Job, he sought to be faithful unto death – though He slay me, yet will I trust Him, I will maintain my ways before Him. This is the only way to live a victorious Christian life. Our Lord will not have it any other way for His people. In Job’s life, we see the worthy example for our emulation. 

Suffering, pain, loss, prosperity, possessions, property must not come in the way of our love for our God. He paid an infinite price for our redemption. A condescension most demeaning for our glorious God yet He willing live it, despising the shame, enduring the cross.

In Job’s life, is a feeble semblance for reciprocity of God’s love – Romans 8:32-39 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It isGod that justifieth. Who ishe that condemneth? It isChrist that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shalltribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

  • Assurance of Salvation and Uprightness (v16-18)

16He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him. 17Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears. 18Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified. 

Job was sure of his standing before God and his personal uprightness. He testifies “I know that I shall be justified”. He was confident that God will justify him which He did!

He understood the way to God and he stands justified. Can we be clear of our call to salvation? That we have searched the Scriptures and examined our faith that we are sure we are found in Him because our faith was founded upon His infallible Word.

Not only was Job sure he was not a hypocrite before God, he testified of his faith before his human examiners. He testified of his integrity and uprightness before his friends. He has not misrepresented his God but he stands justified and sanctified and awaits to be glorified.

Romans 8:28-31 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8:32-34 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It isGod that justifieth. Who ishe that condemneth? It isChrist that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

This verse provides encouragement to the believer, “the called”, throughout the ages as he comes to understand the excellent care of God in his life. God orders the events, encounters and experiences in the believer’s life for his good. Although he may not understand why he has to go through the various stages of his life, he can trust God to order all things for his well-being. It is the overall thought for our meditation. There are no accidentals or incidentals in the believer’s life. Everything is under the full control and purview of our great God.

Jesus says in Luke 12:6-7 “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?  7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.”

If God takes good care of the sparrows, surely we are more valuable than many sparrows. The hymn “His Eye is on the Sparrow” was written to encourage all who are tempted to be discouraged. Circumstances, sorrow, or trial come, and we can lose the joy and courage that should be ours.

Why should I feel discouraged?
Why should the shadows come?
Why should my heart feel lonely,
And long for Heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion?
My constant Friend is He,
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me;

“Let not your heart be troubled,”
His tender Word I heard, 
And resting on His goodness,
I lose my doubts and fears;
Tho’ by the path He leadeth
But one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

Chorus

I sing because I’m happy
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

[Extracted from “Song in the Night – Inspiring Stories behind 100 Hymns Born in Trial and Suffering” by Henry Gariepy.]

May the joyful chorus of this hymn be our daily experience! God is working out His good plan in our lives. May this verse cause us to rest secured in His love and gives us the strength to love Him more and more each day!

  • Not the Decredit of Gainsayers (v19-22)

19Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost. 20Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee. 21Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid. 22Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me. 

He wishes to argue the case even with God himself, if he might but have leave to settle the preliminaries of the treaty (v20-22). He had desired (v3) to reason with God,and is still on his mind. 

He will not hide himself,that is, he will not decline the trial, nor dread the issue of it, but under two provisos

His desire was that his mind might not be terrified with the tremendous majesty of God: “Let not thy dread make me afraid;either let the manifestations of thy presence be familiar or let me be enabled to bear them without disorder and disturbance.” 

Moses himself trembled before God, so did Isaiah and Habakkuk. O God! thou art terrible even in thy holy places.“Lord,” says Job, “let me not be put into such a consternation of spirit, together with this bodily affliction; for then I must certainly drop the cause, and shall make nothing of it.” [Matthew Henry]

He sought that his prayers for God’s answer will be heard.