For today, One Year Bible Online links here.
Sin will lead us down a path with many painful obstacles and traps. If we value our lives we will avoid sin so as to avoid that path and those obstacles and traps.
God will protect and preserve those who care for the weak and the poor. When times of trouble come upon them, God will rescue them. If we have the integrity to admit our sins, both to ourselves and to God, He will heal us and protect us from our enemies. We will know that God is pleased with us by the fact that our enemies do not triumph over us. Let us praise God all the time in all we do.
Paul had planned on visiting the Church in Corinth. However, he heard about the situation he wrote about in 1 Corinthians 5 and decided not to visit, instead he wrote them a letter. His decision here can be a lesson for us. Paul decided to write rather than visit. He knew that if he went to Corinth at that time, people would react defensively to what he had to say. By writing, he could choose his words with more care and people would need to think about what he had said before they could respond. If Paul had said what he had to say in person, he may not have worded it as carefully, and people would have responded out of how it made them feel before they had time to think about the merits of what he said. Let us remember the importance of thinking about our words before we speak them, or commit them to writing.
Paul then addresses the issue he had written about. Once the sinner had repented of his sin, the Church should embrace him once more and welcome him back among them. We should lovingly discipline those who sin in the congregation, then forgive them and welcome them with open arms when they repent of their sins.
Job complains that he cannot find God to present himself before Him in order to make his case. Yet Job reminds us that if we listen to the words of God and store them in our minds, we will be able to stand before Him to face His judgement. Let us hold God’s words as more valuable than even food. Job wishes there were scheduled days of judgement when the wicked who oppress the weak and the powerless would face judgement for their actions. However, he recognizes that even so, God will bring judgement against them.
Bildad responds to Job’s claims to innocence before God by asking rhetorically who can be truly right and good when confronted by the goodness of God. Bildad makes a good point here, however Job’s answer is one we should remember. How is pointing out their sinfulness comforting to someone who is suffering? There are times for pointing out someone’s sin to them, but that time is not when they are suffering (unless they are continuing to commit sins which are compounding their suffering). What is gained by pointing out to the man suffering and dying from AIDS that his previous actions led to his condition? Is it not better to seek to offer him what comfort we can?