A righteous man’s confidence in God is indomitable. The relationship between him and God is undoubtedly by the manner he was begotten by God. What gives him the indomitable confidence in Him is His righteousness in him. Righteousness is not merely an attribute, but is an attribute with the power of God. God’s power is inundated with strength, wisdom and knowledge. Its fruit appears to the naked eye. Hence, there are men that are vindicated as belonging to God and there are men that are vindicated as not of God. Besides this there is a personal advantage to each one having confidence in God. It is the direct access to plainly and confidently speak with Him. This is to him alone and the outcome of it is for representing righteousness to the world. No one has this blessedness other than a righteous man. Therefore, he said, “Your hands fashioned and made me altogether, and would You destroy me?” (Job 10:8).
His confidence in God is unique and is even considered peculiar by the world. The peculiarity is by the manner he is understood. His words and actions seem eccentric to the people who observe him and hence, his unique confidence in God is his virtue. But, what seems eccentric is in truth the nature of God in man before he fell into sin. It is righteousness. Man, who was created without sin, had to again obtain righteousness, because of sin. So, God established the institution of faith. And, he who believed in Him, to him it was credited as righteousness. From such a man flows the indomitable confidence in God. It gives him the benefit, albeit in fear, to question God. With him God is pleased. In fact, He was pleased with him even before he would face a situation where he would question Him. It is a situation where God exercises His power to conceal a matter and man exercises his confidence in Him to search it out. The glory that was God’s when He concealed a matter is endowed to him who searches it out in righteousness. There is reciprocity in having an intimate relationship with Him.
What if you find yourself in a similar situation as Job or in a situation where you are in some way related to suffering? What will bail you out? It is not a mystery that all men born in the flesh suffer, especially if some are of the household of God. Satan is the enemy of all mankind, but only God’s household are aware of it. If he is the enemy of God’s house only, the rest ought to be free from suffering. But as such when he worked to let sin enter into Adam, he made sure that all suffer. Therefore, men suffer in many ways. This truth the world does not realize. Even many churches do not realize their actions blossomed from sin. They invite God’s wrath upon them. He will draft a report of their demise as He always does. For He said, “When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs, A train of donkeys, a train of camels, Let him pay close attention, very close attention” (Isa. 21:7).
God will send out couriers that report the end of the wicked. He will remove all those that work against Him, His servants and His people. He will clear the way for His house to rejoice uninhibitedly. Do not worry when sin, its forms and its couriers appear to be in charge. They will not be forever. For God will not let them be forever for the sake of His beloved people, who in His righteousness seek life. They will rule for a while, but you, if you own His righteousness, will hear the report of their demise. Hence, Job became an encouragement to all who suffer in Christ. When you have that unique confidence he had in God, you will find strength to endure in order to overcome. Yet, you will have to search out what God has concealed from you. For this reason it is said, “Sow with a view to righteousness, reap in accordance with kindness; Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD until He comes to rain righteousness on you” (Hos. 10:12).
Job, in the end, was vindicated by God. He was blessed for confidently speaking to Him. This became the report of the Enemy’s defeat. The key to receive vindication from God exists in how you sow for Him. Many are sowing today, but with a view to the glory of their flesh; many are proclaiming the gospel, offering tithes or even more, but not with a view to righteousness. They did not defeat the enemy, but are working in conjunction with him. If they are right in their actions, then God who condemned Israel for giving offerings apart from a broken spirit is in the wrong. On the contrary, their life is barren. There is nothing that one can take and sow with a view to righteousness, except faith. An unblemished faith in God is the way for righteousness. For God had made it the institution for righteousness. What this does is give fruit in accordance to His kindness; men obtain indomitable confidence in Him. This knowledge a great number do not possess. There is no salvation or grace until God rains righteousness; the works they did or claim to be doing for salvation become meaningless. They are without rationality. If they did not obtain the one thing that is in the interest and with the power of God, what good is it for them to have done the works that indicate salvation? They are still under the sentence of death.
However, you cultivate faithfulness toward God. It will present you a broken spirit. God will display His righteousness through your works. It is He who judges the presence or absence of righteousness in you. Do not be deceived by the commendation of men. There is no way to deceive God. If you desire to continue only in the works that indicate salvation, you will never come to know of having confidence in God. Men will certainly hear the report of your demise. But, with God’s righteousness in you, you will witness a different outcome. It is of His power that saved a man with confidence in Him. “Then you are not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” (Acts 21:38).
He was safely kept until the time he entered the ship to reach Rome according to the will of the Lord. Whether it was Job or Paul, both had the indomitable confidence in God while under righteousness. We are not ignorant of the sufferings of Paul; neither are we ignorant of the righteousness with the power of God that kept him in life. It was also he, who at one place, said that all who desire to live godly in Christ will suffer. It is not the suffering, which the godly face that carries the highest prominence, but it is how they come out of it. This brings glory to God. And, for this to take place His righteousness is needed. Job’s suffering was great, perhaps immeasurable by our standards, but it was how he came out of it had the highest prominence. In all of his endeavors, he did not sin; did not speak against God; did not seek his own glory; did not boast arrogantly, but sought God’s vindication. He sowed with a view to righteousness and reaped kindness. “Look at the nation Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices sharers in the altar?” (1 Cor. 10:18).
Just as there was one altar and all the Levites ate the sacrifices of it and became sharers in it, even so is righteousness that is by faith and all must possess it to become sharers in it. It alone helps us to find and walk the paths of God; we become the household of God. One cannot seek the glory of the flesh and seek to possess God’s righteousness just as one cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. As you seek to sow for righteousness, you need to know the kind of sacrifices you must offer to God; they come from a broken spirit. Therefore, you must unfailingly seek Him. Then, you reap in accordance with His kindness. He delights to work with you and in you. “The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God’” (Luke 1:30).
Whether to Job, Paul, you or me finding God’s kindness is what eventually counts. It is the only way to obtain the confidence that stands as our personal advantage. Then, we will be victorious; much more become a blessing to many. The Lord will also require of us many works, because the sin that was inherently present in us was replaced with His righteousness. He appoints us for His glory. His power inundates us. He has made us; therefore, He will not destroy us. He told us, His household, who He is. “‘I AM THE GOD OF YOUR FATHERS, THE GOD OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC AND JACOB.’ Moses shook with fear and would not venture to look” (Acts 7:32).