Finally, Job turned from speaking with his friends to speaking with the Lord. While the text doesn’t come out and say he turned to speak to God, the fact that he did is clearly understood in the question he asks: “What is man, that you should magnify him? and that you should set your heart upon him? And that you should visit him every morning, and try him every moment” (Job 7:17-18)?
David asked God a similar question:
“What is man, that you are mindful of him? and the son of man, that you visit him? For you have made him a little lower than the angels, and have crowned him with glory and honor. You made him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; and you have put all things under his feet” (Psalm 8:4-6)?
At this point I’m reminded of a quote from an American writer and lecturer, Dale Carnegie, who is credited with saying: “Two men looked out through prison bars. One saw mud, the other saw stars!” If we consider our lives to be that prison, we can conclude that David looked upon the positive, while Job expressed life’s events in the negative. Both interpret the truth of life from the perspective of their circumstances: David was king, while Job was in constant pain and misery. Nevertheless, whether king or a man who is destitute and suffering each moment of his life, they express a question that we need to address. Why is God so mindful of man?
While God cares for other creatures, their habits and violent behavior don’t seem to bother him in the least. So, why does God take a special interest in man’s behavior? Moreover, to Job’s point, why would God inflect so much pain on an individual he created, and it doesn’t matter that he may not have done so directly, because God visits him each morning, yet he doesn’t lift a finger to alleviate his pain. He grants no intermission, no moment of comfort, but simply inflects pain (whether directly or indirectly) and isn’t moved to intervene and alleviate that pain, even for a moment (Job 7:18), not even for the time it requires to swallow one’s saliva or to draw a single breath (Job 7:19). Why?
Indeed, Job admits to being a sinner in Job 7:20. However, his admission of being a sinner is offered in the context of his question: “What is man that you should magnify him?” (Job 7:17). In other words, of all your creatures, which you have created, and considering which you bear no special interest in their behavior, why is my behavior of such importance to you? What have I done to **you** that you should magnify my sins and punish me so severely? In other words, Job is asking God why he had set a mark on him and nit-picks his behavior, as though Job was a burden to God, and God expected some restitution. However, what is man able to do to repay God for anything, whether it is a blessing given to man or an offense committed by man (Job 7:20)? What could man possibly offer God in thanksgiving for a blessing or in restitution for an offense?
Finally, Job asks God why he simply won’t pardon his transgression. Paraphrased: “God! Why don’t you just forgive me? What can I possibly do to remedy the situation that has arisen between you and me? What gift could I offer, or what punishment could I endure that would suffice, and cause you to take away your hand that is ever present upon me? I am ready to die, and tomorrow morning you may come to seek me, and I won’t be found. Why don’t you simply forgive me?” (Job 7:21).
Many folks may ask these or similar questions, when their lot is to endure constant pain. They seem to echo in the wind, and go unanswered throughout the victim’s predicament. Nevertheless, God has yet to speak, and he will do so later in this book. While he doesn’t reply directly to any of Job’s questions, the Lord does reply sufficiently enough that Job seems to be satisfied with the answer he received, and, perhaps, this would be good enough for others, as well.
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15 responses to “Why Won’t God Just Forgive Everyone?”
Perhaps I’m being a bit obtuse, but by posting that scripture, I thought I was agreeing with you, but if Christ was the Savior of the world, especially believers during the 1st century AD, why wouldn’t he be the Savior of the world, especially believers in our modern times, as well?
I see. I thought you were trying to defend faith as necessary for salvation today.
My point was that the first century transition period was divided up between believers and unbelivers. The believers were the first fruits and “the rest” were blinded. At that time faith meant something to the first fruits. They were to be servants and would receive rewards if they “endured to the end”. If not, they would be thrown into the lake of fire to endure the wrath of God along with the unbelievers. I believe this is the story of the 5 wise and unwise virgins during the transition period. Today, all things are fulfilled becaue of the first fruits and the blood of Christ washes us from all sin.
I look at what Christ did this way. If I rushed into a burning building to save my wife (the believers) and she was with a lot of other folks (the world), I wouldn’t demand that they stay put, while I saved my wife! I’d show the whole lot how to get out of the burning building. Friend or foe, it wouldn’t matter, the whole lot gets saved, period.
Matthew 25 is an interesting study. First, you have the 10 virgins, then there are three trusted servants. All of these folks know the Lord, some do well, but others, not so well. However, in the judgement of the sheep and the goats, no one seems to know the Lord, but salvation doesn’t seem to be in question. That was a matter of Christ’s work. The sheep are rewarded according to their good works, while the goat are cast into a fire. In the Apocalypse this is called the Lake of Fire. Perhaps, you may like to read my study on the Lake of Fire to find out what I believe it is, and what happens to folks who are cast into it.
Thanks, I read two articles. It sounds like you believe the lake of fire “represents a time of temporary punishment whereby the “wicked” will be separated from their sins and embrace God, whom they have rejected all their lives?”
So who are the wicked? The question I would have is who among “all that have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” and “there are none righteous, “no not one” could ever hope to save themselves. How could the apostle Paul ever hope to be righteous himself when he said “I am sold under sin”.
I take the view that all things are corporate and not about individuals – God “assigned all to disobedience so he could have mercy on all”. For example, when God told Abraham that “in Issac your seed shall be called” he excluded all of humanity from the salvation equasion because no human being was born as Issac was. Issac was born soley by the power of God due to the deadness of Sarah’s womb. Sarah had no more children after Issac until Paul said in the first century, “now we brethren are born “as Issac was” meaning soley by the decision and power of God. Then he quotes Isahiah 54:1. Paul was referring to the first fruits “elect” that were called to bring about the end of all things. They were not righteous anymore than anyone else. There names were written in the book of life becasue they were given a job to do and if they didn’t do the job or endure to the end thier names were blotted out. Those that did endure were rewarded. That is the only judgement in the Bible. That end was the wrath of God that representively destroyed the OC based on human effort and anything else that offended. After that the blood of Christ cleanes us, all of us, from all sin. I believe that this is the story of the Bible and what God wants us to know.
Greetings Donald, and thanks for your continued interest in this subject. I am happy to discuss this with you.
First, let me say that we believe similarly, but there are differences and that’s okay. We don’t have to believe exactly the same.
Who are the wicked? As you suggest and is Biblically true, there are none righteous, so we’re all guilty. However, just as a man like Job was a sinner, he was considered righteous. There are folks in this world who have no regard for goodness, and live by violence and fraud. They are the wicked that would be cast into the Lake of Fire. While we all deserve the same, Jesus is the Savior of the world. Therefore, if he saves ALL, then righteous deeds can be rewarded (believer or non-believer), and unrighteous deeds can be punished (believer or non-believer).
While I believe some things are corporate (God deals with the nations corporately), other matters are dealt with individually (believers are individuals, not nations).
Concerning God working with Abraham and Isaac, they were “saved” by Christ. The Lord dealt with them and their descendants corporately and separately from the nations, but that was to unveil to the nations what he was like and to bless all through the Messiah, who would come through Abraham’s/Isaac’s line. Yet, as individuals they were saved eternally by Christ, not by their works of righteousness.
Concerning 1st century AD believers, you are correct they are the firstfruits. They either remained Jesus’ disciples or they didn’t. If they didn’t then they would participate in the corporate punishment that came upon the world in the first century AD–if believing Jews backslid, they participated in the destruction of their religion with the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple. If they were believing gentiles who backslid, then they participated in the corporate judgment already decreed upon the nations. The faithful believers were vindicated, in that with the destruction of Jerusalem their claims of coming judgment and therefore the Gospel they presented to the world was true. The destruction of Jerusalem was the prophesied “end of all things” and the “last days” preached under the Old Covenant and by the Christian Church during the first century AD.
Lord bless you, Donald.