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More Pure Than His Maker?

             Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can even a strong man be more pure than his Maker? (Job 4:17)

          It’s probably not wise to base any doctrine on a claim made by someone who is later rebuked by God for all he said. Just sayin’. Eliphaz isn’t a guaranteed best source of Godly wisdom. However, there’s something about human nature in this passage that it might be useful to consider.

          When you make a claim or do something - most of the time - do you do it knowing and agreeing that what you are doing is impure or evil? When Eliphaz asked this question, the obvious answer was “No.” Those who claim to be Christians would undoubtedly say, “No.”  Of course, a mortal can’t be more righteous than God. That being acknowledged, what do we do with Abram, Moses, and a few others who have argued ethical questions with God, and God seems to have conceded. (A topic for another time.)

          However, do our lives demonstrate a sense that we aren’t as righteous and pure as we can possibly be? When we disagree with God, do we assume we’re wrong? When we disagree with people, do we assume we might be wrong? Do we bristle about their self-righteousness? Do our hackles go up when someone accuses us of being self-righteous? Does it bother us when someone suggests our motives aren’t pure? Do we feel guilty for not feeling guilty?

          I’ve read that there is a tendency to see what we do in a positive light, and to see what someone else does in a negative light if it’s not what we wanted them to do. It’s as simple (and complex) as “us v them.” We are the ones who are righteous and pure, and they are not. It’s natural and normal for us, and something we need to unlearn. That makes the whole idea good food for thought.

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