SIXTH PRINCIPLE:
All Affliction Is NOT Chastisement
Our last principle strikes at the very heart of the twentieth century misconception of the gospel and its sure promises. Even though all sickness and affliction are under God's control and are part of His purposes, it is NOT true that they are all chastisement for sin. Some affliction is definitely chastisement for sin and is sent to bring us to repentance and effect specific change in us; however, that is not true all of the time. Sometimes God allows His people to suffer just to demonstrate the power of His grace. It is wrong for a Christian to ever feel that God is "getting even" and punishing him when affliction comes. God only punishes sin in one of two places: he either punished it in Christ and the penal debt is totally paid, or else He punishes it in the sinner in hell. Even when affliction comes into our life as chastisement, it is never penal [that is, from God as judge], but the chastisement is always remedial [that is, from a loving heavenly Father]. Our Father teaches us through affliction, but He never punishes (penally) us.
The Case of Job
In the Book of Habakkuk and in Isaiah we saw God using affliction to bring repentance for sin, in order that He might send revival. The book of Job also talks about affliction, but in a totally different sense. Let us look at Job's suffering and learn this sixth principle. First of all, we must be sure we understand how to approach the book of Job. Most people just assume that Job was "self-righteous" and God sent the afflictions to humble him. It never occurs to these people that Job's so-called "friends" kept hammering away at that same thing and both Job and God denied that such was the case. There is no question that Job made some very foolish statements; likewise, we know that in the end he knew God in a greater way than he ever did before. However, these facts do not change the central truth of the book. Notice what God Himself says about Job:
"In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil." Job 1:1
I find it hard to believe that anyone can read those words and then proceed to badmouth Job by claiming he was self-righteous. The moment we accept that idea, we make it impossible to understand the meaning of the book and the purpose of Job's afflictions. Lest we think this verse is not actually God's personal evaluation of Job, then read God's very own words in Job 1:8 and the added words in Job 2:3. The first thing we must settle is this: the afflictions sent to Job had nothing at all to do with chastisement for sin. We can go further and say that the biggest single temptation that Job faced, and overcame, was to believe and acknowledge that the afflictions were sent because of sin. That is the heart of the book. The whole point of the contest between Satan and God is over this very question. Will Job continue to admit that everything that happens to him comes from the hand of God, and at the same time still trust and worship God? The answer is clear. Job lost every single thing that he had, but he did not desert his God, even when there were no answers or explanation for what was happening to him.
Challenge and Counter Challege
The Book of Job opens with a dialogue between Satan and God involving a challenge by God and a counterchallenge by Satan. Notice this in the following verses:
"Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord." Job 1:6-12
In verse 10 it is obvious that Job is securely in God's hands. In fact, Satan's big beef is the hedge that God has put around Job that makes it impossible to get at him. In verse 11, Satan challenges God to ". . . put forth your [God's] hand, and touch all that he has. . ." God responds by saying, ". . . all that he has is in your [Satan's] power; only upon himself put not forth your hand." It now appears that Job is in Satan's hand. Is Job in God's hand or is he in Satan's hand? If you have understood these verses, you see that Job is in both the hand of God and the hand of Satan. However, you have also seen that the hand of God is over Satan's hand, and Satan's hand can only do what God's hand allows to be done. In reality, Job is just as much in the hand of God when Satan is testing him as he was before. The only difference is the degree to which God has chosen to let down the hedge he had placed around Job.
And It Was All From God!
We all know the next part of the story. A servant informs Job that the Sabeans had stolen all of his oxen and donkeys, and then killed all of the servants. While that servant was speaking, another one arrives and says that fire from heaven had killed all of the sheep and the servants taking care of them. A third servant immediately appears and reports that the Chaldeans had stolen all of the camels and killed those servants. In less than sixty seconds, Job learns that he is bankrupt of everything. Before the third man has finished speaking, a fourth servant runs up with the news that all of Job's children had died when a great wind had destroyed the house in which they were feasting. The next few verses give us Job's response to these awful events:
"Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly." Job 1:20-22
Notice that Job never mentions Satan. Job attributes it all to the hand of God. God had given all of the sheep, oxen, camels, and donkeys to Job, and Job said, "The same God has chosen to take them all away." But what about his children? Job states that both their birth and their death was from the hand of God. Job maintains his confidence in God's sovereign control and His covenant promise, even when his personal world is destroyed.
We must grasp what is going on in Job's life. We must understand that Satan and God are having a duel with each other; that part is clear. However, we must constantly remember that Job, himself, had no way of knowing that fact. The only way we know is because the Bible takes us behind the scenes. We see and hear both the challenge and the counter-challenge. Job neither saw nor heard either. We understand that Job's heart and life was the battleground for the war. Will the grace of God triumph in Job's heart regardless of the tests and trials? We read the story and know what is happening, but Job knew none of this. Job had no way of knowing that his heart was being used in a war between Satan and God. Job did not-and could not-have any logical, rational, or even theological explanation for what was happening to him. All he had was confidence in a sovereign, holy God.
"Round One" [Chapter One] in the struggle went to the power of the grace of God. Job maintained his faith and his integrity. "Round Two" begins with the same dialogue between Satan and God. However, when God challenges Satan the second time, He "rubs Satan's nose" in the fact that Job remained true and faithful despite the awful afflictions. The third verse of Chapter Two furnishes us with the key to the whole book of Job:
"And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause."
Notice carefully what the verse says. First of all, it is God, Himself, Who is "against Job" in sending these afflictions. It is true that Satan has brought the afflictions, but God is the One that sent them. It is vital that we see the second thing in the text. God moved against Job, without any reason in Job. The afflictions were in no way connected with any sin in Job. Job was being used as a "test model" without him having any knowledge of what was happening. He was demonstrating and proving the sufficiency of God's grace under unexplained afflictions.
One of Job's greatest losses was his theology. Job's friends reminded him that he had believed and taught that God blesses the "good" and judges the "bad"; since that was true, how could Job explain his present situation? Of course, Job could not explain what was happening or reconcile it with his own theology. Someone has said, "The book of Job records the first time that orthodox theology was confronted with a situation that was too big for it to handle." The hymn writer clearly understood that fact when he wrote:
When all around, my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay,
His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
There are times when everything collapses and we have nothing left to hang on to but God Himself. We hang on to the knowledge of His character and His covenant. All of our theology and all of our experience are not sufficient to understand and explain the ways of God. However, even when we cannot understand, we can trust that God will be holy, righteous, and faithful in all of His dealings with us; that is the place that Job came to. The awful events proved that Job's faith was genuine, and that God was more than worthy of his faith and hope.
Satan now responds to God's "rubbing his nose" in his failure to get Job to renounce his confidence in God's grace. Let us look at the verses which give this second dialogue:
"And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life. So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes." Job 2:4-8
Satan is still convinced that Job is a hypocrite. He blames God for being unfair in the contest and protecting Job from personal pain. It is one thing to lose "things" and see other people suffer, but it is quite another to experience unrelenting pain day and night. Again, we must note in verse five that Satan, speaking to God, says, ". . . stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones," and in verse six God responds and says to Satan, "Very well, then, he [Job] is in your hands, but you must spare his life." God lowers the hedge a little more but clearly sets the limits. It is still God's hand that is in control, despite the fact that the hand of Satan is the agent of the affliction. Job never doubts that everything has come from the hand of God.
Verse seven shows Job taking a piece of broken pottery and scraping off the secretion from the boils that covered him from head to foot. Boils are extremely painful things. Job could not sit, stand, or lay without pain since his whole body was covered with boils. He sat "among the ashes" because it was the softest thing he could find.
"Curse God and Die!"
Verse nine and ten are very instructive. They give us a picture of the horrible weakness of a faith that goes by sight and the amazing strength of a faith that sees the sovereign hand of God in all things. How would you feel and respond if this had been said to you?
"Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips." vss. 9,10
The remarks of Job's wife are typical of both the unbeliever and the "dear, sweet, sentimental Christian" that thinks entirely in terms of "ooey gooey" love, and rejects reality. The moment we echo Job's words and declare the principles that we have been explaining, and in which Job hoped, we hear an angry response that sounds something like this in today's language: "Are you telling me that you honestly believe that God is in any way connected with these afflictions? I would not love and serve a God like that!" Few people would have the courage to verbalize what they felt, the way Job's wife did, but they are in basic agreement. "I will trust and love God as long as He gives me the goodies [that I need to be happy], but if He throws in that kind of suffering, then I am not about to trust Him!" How often the devil has whispered into the ear of a tried and tested saint this same blasphemy (to curse God and end it all)! What makes this even more painful for Job is the fact that it comes from his own wife.
Now before you judge the lady too harshly, remember that she had to take care of Job and listen to his complaining. That would be quite a chore! All of those children that died were also her flesh and blood, and all that lost wealth was equally hers.
The Essence of Faith
Job's response is classic. "Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" Job has no use for the heresy of dualism. God is the author of all things whether they are good or bad. Job would have made a very poor charismatic with his view of sickness and trouble. I doubt that he would have supported any of the "health and wealth" preachers that dominate the TV screen on Sundays.
Now remember, Job still does not understand or have any explanation for the things that are happening to him. All he knows is that (1) God has sent every one of the afflictions, and (2) God must have had a good reason for doing so even if Job could not fathom that reason. That, my friend, is the essence of Biblical faith in a sovereign and gracious God. The highest point of Job's faith is found in that great declaration in Job 13:15. Notice the whole context:
"Keep silent and let me speak; then let come to me what may. Why do I put myself in jeopardy and take my life into my own hands? Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face .....I know I will be vindicated." Job 13:13-17
Job is absolutely certain that he will be vindicated, and it will be shown that God was not judging him for sin. In the meantime, Job is prepared to trust God regardless of what may come. When he said, "Though He slay me, still will I trust Him," Job is saying, "Though He Who took the sheep, donkeys, camels, all my children, and my health should take the last step and kill me (which He has a right to do whenever He chooses), still I trust Him and believe He has a just reason. I will not believe He is cursing me in these afflictions nor will I give up believing that I shall someday be totally satisfied and vindicated."
Let me digress for a moment and look at the worst part of Job's temptation. The whole purpose of Satan's attack is to prove one single point. Satan is claiming that there is no such thing as a "genuine believer" that truly loves God for His own sake. Men only worship God because it is to their own benefit. Without the "look what I get out of it" motive, men will renounce God and curse Him to His face. That part is easy to see; however, there is an even greater temptation for Job. He believes that God is the sovereign ruler of the world. Job believes that he has faithfully served God and that he is basically an "upright man". In no sense is Job claiming to be without sin or guilt, but he is claiming that he has loved and followed God with an upright heart. If this is true, then how can Job explain all of these afflictions? Obviously, he cannot even begin to explain why the things are happening.
Trying to Protect God
Job's biggest temptation is to admit to sin of which he is not guilty as a means of getting God off the hook for sending these troubles. God's character as a "fair and honest God" who rewards good people and curses bad people would then be protected. Job would also have a theological explanation for why God had sent these troubles (they would now be judgments or chastisements), and his friends could then sincerely encourage him to expect forgiveness and restoration since he had "come clean" and confessed his secret sin. Of course, Job would be lying through his teeth; worse yet, the devil would win by proving that Job was a liar and a hypocrite interested in getting the "goodie basket" to start replacing the "affliction barrel." It would have been a thousand times easier to yield to the appearance instead of hanging on to reality. It would have been much easier for Job to "protect" God with a few pious platitudes than it was to honestly face the unexplained facts with an undaunted faith in God Himself, and His sovereign, holy character.
Isn't this the great stumbling block of the cross? How can God's dearly beloved Son suffer such agony without His Father so much as lifting a hand to help? No, we did not state the case correctly! How could a holy, righteous, and loving heavenly Father actually inflict the wounds with His Own hands? The inability of the Jews to understand this fact is what made Christ's claims appear to be monstrous blasphemies.
Suppose you had been there the day those wicked and ruthless men stoned Stephen to death. What would you have said if someone whispered in your ear, "God Almighty is in charge of this charade and is using these despicable men to accomplish his secret purposes"? Stephen believed that, and expressed hope and assurance even while he was being unjustly stoned to death.
God's Providence A Mystery
I have no explanation as to why God allows some of His most choice saints to endure persecution and affliction. However, it is both a Biblical and historical fact that such is the case. Job, David, Joseph, and Stephen are clear examples from God's Word; Fanny Crosby, Joni Erickson, and many brothers and sisters in our circle of acquaintances testify to the same truth. It is not ours to question God and ask "Why?", nor is it ours to deny the texts of Scripture that teach a truth we do not like. It is ours to prove God's grace and power by trusting Him even when we cannot understand.
There used to be a rather siily TV commercial about a guy named Mr. Whipple scolding ladies for squeezing toilet paper to prove how soft it was. I never once saw ladies do that in a grocery store, but I did see them squeezing lemons and oranges to see if they were soft and rotten. I believe that is what happens to God's people. He allows the world to squeeze us to see what we are made of. When God opens your heart to His amazing grace, you will open your mouth and begin to testify. You will brag about having found bread that really satisfies your hungry soul and brings real joy into your life. However, sometimes people are skeptical, and they deliberately test you to see how "satisfied" you really are!
When God is doubly gracious and teaches us the truth about His sovereignty, we often open our mouths to brag about a God that controls everybody and every event. We may even ridicule the weak God of the poor Arminian. "Our God is not dependent on man or man's will. Our sovereign God controls every event that comes into our life!" Now the world really becomes skeptical, and they say, "I wonder if they really believe and trust God's sovereignty. Let's cross their wills and not give them their own way; we'll see how they respond." How do you react when something that you want, and may deserve, is deliberately kept from you by some mean, obnoxious nerd?
If I were a good enough artist I could paint the outside of a glass to look like it was filled with lemonade. However, if I "upset" the glass, then whatever was in the glass would come pouring out. I could have milk in the glass, even though the outside looked like it was filled with lemonade. The process of "upsetting" would bring out the milk.
You and I may paint ourselves with all kinds of Calvinistic labels and ridicule Arminians, but the real test of our faith in a sovereign God is how we act when we are "upset" and do not get our own way. When that happens to you, does sovereign grace or sovereign flesh come pouring out of you? A correct theology is not enough. Job actually lost his theology. In fact, his friends beat him over the head with his theology. "Job, you have taught us that God hears and answers the prayer of a righteous man but refuses to hear the prayer of a sinner, and now when God is silent toward you and all these afflictions have come, you want to maintain that you are righteous! You are a sinful hypocrite that will not own up to his sin, and you blaspheme God with your protesting. How do you reconcile what is happening to you according to your own theology?" How could Job answer such taunts? He could not deny that he had believed and taught exactly what they said, nor could he confess sin of which he did not believe he was guilty. Job could only reply, "I cannot." The only thing left for him to do was shut up and wait on God.
"It Isn't Fair!"
I am often called to counsel with people that have been badly
misused. In tears, they say, "But pastor, it was so unfair." I can feel for
them. I just recently went through a situation where professing Christians
that I loved and trusted deliberately deceived and lied in order to maintain
positions of authority. Their behavior was worse than a secular political
campaign. It was one of the most difficult experiences of my Christian life.
My own heart wanted to cry out, "But Lord, they know that they are lying.
It is so cruel and unfair."
What is the only comfort we can take when "it isn't fair"? First of all,
we can remind ourselves that God has never indicated that it would be fair!
In fact, if we have even the least insight into the Word of God and take
its message seriously, we realize that we should not expect the ungodly to
be fair.
It was not fair that they put Jeremiah in a pit. It was not fair that Joseph's
brethren sold him into slavery. It was not fair that Stephen was stoned,
nor that Nero fed thousands of Christians to the lions. Many of the things
that have happened to the most godly Christians have been horribly cruel
and unfair (see Hebrews 11). However, where did we even get the idea that
we should expect the ungodly to be fair? This world is no friend to the grace
of God in any sense. Read Matthew 10:16-42, and then dare to ask why it is
not fair.
Yes, we will be squeezed, but we will never be "tested above that we are able." If God chooses to allow us to be put into the furnaces, let us endure as good soldiers and exhibit the power of His grace. Let us pray for that grace to believe and say, "Shall we receive good at the hands of God and not bad?" Understanding and applying these six principles of the Word of God will greatly help us to do that very thing.
One of my favorite hymns has caught the truth of what I am trying to say. It is entitled "What-e'er My God Ordains Is Right," and it is found in the Trinity Hymn Book.
What-e'er My God ordains is right:
Holy His will abideth;
I will be still what-e'er He doeth,
And follow where He guideth:
He is my God; though dark my road,
He holds me that I shall not fall;
Wherefore to Him I leave it all.
What-e'er My God ordains is right:
He never will decieve me;
He leads me be the proper path;
I know He will not leave me:
I take, content, What He hath sent;
His hand can turn my griefs away,
And patiently I wait His day.
What-e'er My God ordains is right:
Though now this cup in drinking,
May bitter seem to my faint heart,
I take it all unshrinking:
My God is true; Each morn anew
Sweet comfort yet shall fill my heart,
And pain and sorrow shall depart.
What-e'er My God ordains is right:
Here shall my stand be taken;
Though sorrow, need, or death be mine,
Yet am I not forsaken;
My Father's care is round me there;
He holds me that I shall not fall:
And so to Him I leave it all.
If we could get this truth written on our hearts in such a way that we would
always be able to feel its power, we would be "more than conquers in Christ"
in every situation. We would see God's hand in all things and know that sovereign
grace and love is controlling all things. The Six Basic Principles we have
covered would be like a Rock of Gibraltor underneath our feet. We would sing
with great joy, "What ever my lot, Thou hast taught me say, 'It is well my
soul.'"
Christian, that is your God. Take courage and have hope. You are absolutely secure in the shadow of His wings. Your Lord has already gained the full victory - and so shall you!
One Last Solemn Word!
If you are not a Christian, then remember, this is the God against whom you rebel. You have consciously chosen to hate His authority and despise His grace. If you have never bowed your heart and will in true repentance and faith to this great God, then of all people, you are both the most miserable and the most foolish. How can you even think you can fight against such a God and ever prevail? Turn to Him in faith and discover that He is just as merciful as He is sovereign.
The Sovereignty of God in Providence:
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