Should God reward you on your own terms?

Elihu, a young man, fervent if not humble, had been listening with great interest to the conversations among  Job and his friends. By the time Job's three friends stopped talking, Elihu was bursting with words, and spoke in defense of God's actions and sovereignty. In the midst of his discourse, he said,

"Suppose a man says to God,
  'I am guilty but will offend no more.
    Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong,
      I will not do so again.'
Should God then reward you on your own terms,
 when you refuse to repent?
    You must decide, not I;
      so tell me what you know."
        (Job 34:31-33)

Admitting guilt, though necessary for confession, is not the same as repentance.
  Neither is vowing to change behavior.

No remorse or brokenness is implied in that confession,
  no godly sorrow, without which there is no repentance.
    (2 Corinthians 7:9-12)

The world's rules and basic principles are in opposition to those of Christ,
  based as they are on idolatry, self-worship, self-help,
    human philosophy and (foolish) wisdom.
      (See Colossians 2:20-23)

All who claim they will come to God after they have changed,
  after they have cleaned up their life, are coming to God on their own terms,
    assuming (falsely) they can fix themselves apart from God.

Since the fall, this deception has been hard-wired into our (sin) nature.

Help us, Lord, set us free.
  Strip away all our delusions.
    Draw us to the cross and the Life that only comes through death.

March 5, 2012