Ask Job If Works Can Save

Job 40:6-14-- God’s Challenge to Job
6 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:

7 “Now prepare yourself like a man;
I will question you, and you shall answer Me:
8 “Would you indeed annul My judgment?
Would you condemn Me that you may be justified?
9 Have you an arm like God?
Or can you thunder with a voice like His?
10 Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor,
And array yourself with glory and beauty.
11 Disperse the rage of your wrath;
Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him.
12 Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low;
Tread down the wicked in their place.
13 Hide them in the dust together,
Bind their faces in hidden darkness.
14 Then I will also confess to you
That your own right hand can save you.

Love it. Man cannot through his own efforts or works do anything to merit God's grace, mercy and free gift of salvation. "Would you condemn Me that you may be justified?" How prideful we are to shake our fist at God and tell Him what to do and we don't need Him to be good or righteous. Not one but two Proverbs tell us there is a way that seems right to us but in the end is death (Prov. 14:12, Prov.16:25).  Isaiah 64:6 "But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away."
 Romans 3:9-11 All Have Sinned
9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.

10 As it is written:

“There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.

Jesus Himself tells us in not one but all three synoptic Gospels that there is no one good but God (Matt. 19:17, Mark 10:18, Luke 18:19)

I admit I shook my fist at God and was angry after the murder of my son. But God is so good, His goodness is so far past comprehending. He still did not leave me or forsake me in my anger and pain. He did not condemn or abandon me up to my own neglect of Him. He stood by me and sent me the help I needed. Gradually I did read His Word again. I am sure I will never fully understand all that happens in life because I can never be omniscient or omnipresent. I have no understanding of the entire picture of the world or universe from beginning to end. But I must trust He does. I had to force myself to read the Bible again and He is so good that every time I read I get insight and gain more strength and compassion, mercy and grace and know He does love me no matter what happens. He does love me. He is good.