Job

I like Job. Each of us experience what Job experienced. Last night you asked why some unsaved people have many "blessings" and some saved people do not. You asked if anyone had the answer well I have one that satisfies me and which I believe the bible supports.

 

How we understand Job depends upon how we believe God interacts with people today. Does God bless with things and with health? Does God curse us by taking things away or by taking health away? Some people believe God does not know what we will do until we do it and is surprised when we do good things.  I do not believe the Bible supports that thinking.

 

To accept that God "blessed" Job with things puts undue importance on things. Job was a good business man and made good decisions. Once Satan got off his back he returned to being a good business man and made good decisions. Job was a millionaire at the beginning and he became a billionaire afterwards. Regardless seven more sons and three more daughters did not make up for the seven sons and three daughters killed. Intriguing, God permitted Job's children to be killed as a test to Job? That bothers me more than Job. Ten individuals just going along and die because God was allowing Satan to test their dad. Why not us? Why do we think he will not permit the same with us? Maybe we are better than Job (sarcasm).

 

Nature is unforgiving and allows for few if any mistakes. If an individual steps in front of a bus the individual's body will experience injuries and in some cases the individual will die. God did not kill the individual, nature, as God designed happened. If an individual comes in contact with bacteria or virus the individual's immune system (nature) will try to kill the invaders. Some times they are successful and some times they are not. God did not make the person sick nor does he heal the individual. Nature as God designed it happens.

 

Considering the number of Christians we have prayed for and they have still died or their health does not improve how do we explain what we say James told the twelve tribes of the dispersion? Do we understand what he really said? If the people called for the elders and the elders did their job how would anyone die? James makes no exceptions for the appointed unto men once to die argument.

 

That in addition to physical healing sins were forgiven James is apparently identifying a way we can have our sins forgiven without having to repent of those sins. If James' instructions are applicable today, if the sick call for the elders and the elders carry out James's instructions, no one will ever die and unrepentant individuals will experience forgiveness of their sins. That is not correct.

 

The book of James is thought to have been written during the 40s or 50s AD but we do not see the practice carried over in the books written later. In those books Christians became sick and died. James allows for no exceptions and guaranteed results, physical healing and forgiveness of sins. Paul had the ever present thorn in the flesh, Timothy had tummy problems and Paul left Trophimus in Miletus sick. Apparently the elders had been given miraculous gifts by the Apostles.

 

Understanding Job requires understanding and accepting how God deals with us. He has never guaranteed anything other than if we turn to him in every situation he will some how provide a peace we do not understand. He will help us through the situation and all things will work for good for those who love him.