Job 31 – ROADWORTHY
(5)
Sermon shared by Ross Cochrane
September 2011
Summary: Law professor Stephen L. Carter writes that integrity requires three steps: "discerning what is right and what is wrong; acting on what you have discerned, even at personal cost; and saying openly that you are acting on your understanding of right from wr
Denomination: Evangelical/Non-denominational
Audience: General adults
Job 31 – ROADWORTHY
Apparently my car leaks oil. I am amazed how much it costs to get my car deemed as roadworthy for registration purposes. All kinds of tests are done. The mechanic goes through a CHECKLIST of safety, performance and reliability tests. I get new tyres, and I need the fan belt tightened. He checks the lights & battery, wipers, and I also have a service done on the car. In NSW, Australia, there are Pink Slips and Blue Slips and Safety inspections and insurances and all kinds of charges and fees required to test the integrity of my car. The checklist is endless. It seems appropriate that I also allow God do some roadworthy tests on the integrity of my character and actions. Job goes through a ROADWORTHY CHECKLIST that confirms that he living as God intended in Job 31.
Law professor Stephen L. Carter writes that integrity requires three steps: "discerning what is right and what is wrong; acting on what you have discerned, even at personal cost; and saying openly that you are acting on your understanding of right from wrong" (Wikopedia).
Job produces a checklist of what it is like to live as God intends. It is NOT a checklist of my SUITABILITY for heaven (Only belief in Christ and what He has done for me on the Cross will get me to heaven), but it is a GUAGE for my character on earth.
1. FAITHFULNESS TO MY MARRIAGE (Job 31:1-4, 9-12)
Is my conscience defiled and is God dishonoured by the way I look at and act toward a woman?
2. HONESTY (Job 31:5)
How would I measure up on the honesty scale?
3. HEALTHY ATTITUDES TOWARDS WEALTH AND POSSESSIONS (Job 31:7-8, 24-28, 38-40)
Do I have the right attitude to the resources that God has given to me?
4. FAIRNESS AND EQUALITY (Job 31:13-15, 31)
Do I treat the maintenance man as equally as the manager?
5. GENEROSITY AND HELP FOR THE HELPLESS. (Job 31:16-23)
Do I go out of my way to help the needy?
6. WORSHIP (Job 31:26-28)
Am I willing to let God have only a part of my life or all of it?
7. LOVING EVEN YOUR ENEMIES (Job 31:29-30)
Do I love my enemies and pray for those who persecute me or simply want revenge?
8. HOSPITALITY (Job 31:31-32)
Since my home is God’s property, will I use it as He desires?
9. CONFESSION OF SIN (Job 31:24-32)
Do I try to conceal secret sins and try to justify them, or confess them to God ?
10. NOT INTIMIDATED BY OTHERS BUT WILLING TO STAND UP AND BE COUNTED WHEN IT COMES TO THE TRUTH (Job 31:33-37)
Am I a people pleaser rather than someone willing to stand up and be committed to God’s Truth?
When you see this checklist you can see why Followers of Christ are such a threat to people who deny and reject God’s authority in their lives. INTEGRITY is the opposite of HYPOCRISY. The invitation God gives me and you is to "HAVE INTEGRITY", to act consistently with the values, beliefs and principles God intends for my life, not based on the values of society, but on God’s absolute truth in the Bible. God bless you as you undergo God’s Roadworthy Test remembering that Jesus says, “I am the WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. No one can come to the Father except through Me (John 14:6 NLT).
Pastor Ross
Apparently my car leaks oil. I am amazed how much it costs to get my car deemed as roadworthy for registration purposes. All kinds of tests are done. The mechanic goes through a CHECKLIST of safety, performance and reliability tests. I get new tyres, and I need the fan belt tightened. He checks the lights & battery, wipers, and I also have a service done on the car. In NSW, Australia, there are Pink Slips and Blue Slips and Safety inspections and insurances and all kinds of charges and fees required to test the integrity of my car. The checklist is endless. It seems appropriate that I also allow God do some roadworthy tests on the integrity of my character and actions. Job goes through a ROADWORTHY CHECKLIST that confirms that he living as God intended in Job 31.
Law professor Stephen L. Carter writes that integrity requires three steps: "discerning what is right and what is wrong; acting on what you have discerned, even at personal cost; and saying openly that you are acting on your understanding of right from wrong" (Wikopedia).
Job produces a checklist of what it is like to live as God intends. It is NOT a checklist of my SUITABILITY for heaven (Only belief in Christ and what He has done for me on the Cross will get me to heaven), but it is a GUAGE for my character on earth.
1. FAITHFULNESS TO MY MARRIAGE (Job 31:1-4, 9-12)
Is my conscience defiled and is God dishonoured by the way I look at and act toward a woman?
2. HONESTY (Job 31:5)
How would I measure up on the honesty scale?
3. HEALTHY ATTITUDES TOWARDS WEALTH AND POSSESSIONS (Job 31:7-8, 24-28, 38-40)
Do I have the right attitude to the resources that God has given to me?
4. FAIRNESS AND EQUALITY (Job 31:13-15, 31)
Do I treat the maintenance man as equally as the manager?
5. GENEROSITY AND HELP FOR THE HELPLESS. (Job 31:16-23)
Do I go out of my way to help the needy?
6. WORSHIP (Job 31:26-28)
Am I willing to let God have only a part of my life or all of it?
7. LOVING EVEN YOUR ENEMIES (Job 31:29-30)
Do I love my enemies and pray for those who persecute me or simply want revenge?
8. HOSPITALITY (Job 31:31-32)
Since my home is God’s property, will I use it as He desires?
9. CONFESSION OF SIN (Job 31:24-32)
Do I try to conceal secret sins and try to justify them, or confess them to God ?
10. NOT INTIMIDATED BY OTHERS BUT WILLING TO STAND UP AND BE COUNTED WHEN IT COMES TO THE TRUTH (Job 31:33-37)
Am I a people pleaser rather than someone willing to stand up and be committed to God’s Truth?
When you see this checklist you can see why Followers of Christ are such a threat to people who deny and reject God’s authority in their lives. INTEGRITY is the opposite of HYPOCRISY. The invitation God gives me and you is to "HAVE INTEGRITY", to act consistently with the values, beliefs and principles God intends for my life, not based on the values of society, but on God’s absolute truth in the Bible. God bless you as you undergo God’s Roadworthy Test remembering that Jesus says, “I am the WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. No one can come to the Father except through Me (John 14:6 NLT).
Pastor Ross
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