God is For you

As I listen to the theology presented by Job, his friends and God, I carefully watch to see what might be construed as either Calvinistic or Arminian. After all, how could there be so much talk of theology, without anything distinctively Arminian or Calvinistic? Sure, Job despaired of being destined to doom: “Why is life given to those with no future, those destined by God to live in distress? I cannot eat for sighing; my groans pour out like water. What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come to be. I have no peace, no quietness. I have no rest; instead, only trouble comes.” (Job 3:23-26, NLT) Yet, there does not appear, by my own estimation, to be anything clearly teaching TULIP Calvinism. However, what I did find was that Job longed to have a neutral umpire hear his case, so that he could stand before God and state his case without fear: “My life passes more swiftly than a runner. It flees away, filled with tragedy. It disappears like a swift boat, like an eagle that swoops down on its prey. If I decided to forget my complaints, if I decided to end my sadness and be cheerful, I would dread all the pain he would send. For I know you will not hold me innocent, O God. Whatever happens, I will be found guilty. So what's the use of trying? Even if I were to wash myself with soap and cleanse my hands with lye to make them absolutely clean, you would plunge me into a muddy ditch, and I would be so filthy my own clothing would hate me. God is not a mortal like me, so I cannot argue with him or take him to trial. If only there were a mediator who could bring us together, but there is none. The mediator could make God stop beating me, and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment. Then I could speak to him without fear, but I cannot do that in my own strength.” (Job 9:25-35) The mistake of Job, that we can all learn from, is that God is not against us. God is for us. Sure, we indeed have an accuser, but God is the One who defends us from our accuser, and it was God who defended Job, as being a “blameless” man, foremost in all of the world. (Job 2:3)