Does Human Conduct Really Affect God?
Then Elihu said:
"Do you think it is right for you to claim, 'I am righteous before God'?
For you also ask, 'What's in it for me?
What's the use of living a righteous life?'
"I will answer you and all your friends, too.
Look up into the sky, and see the clouds high above you.
If you sin, how does that affect God?
Even if you sin again and again, what effect will it have on him?
If you are good, is this some great gift to him?
What could you possibly give him?
No, your sins affect only people like yourself, and your good deeds also affect only humans.
Job 35:1-8 NLT
"Do you think it is right for you to claim, 'I am righteous before God'?
For you also ask, 'What's in it for me?
What's the use of living a righteous life?'
"I will answer you and all your friends, too.
Look up into the sky, and see the clouds high above you.
If you sin, how does that affect God?
Even if you sin again and again, what effect will it have on him?
If you are good, is this some great gift to him?
What could you possibly give him?
No, your sins affect only people like yourself, and your good deeds also affect only humans.
Job 35:1-8 NLT
Suffering has a way of causing humans to ask rather profound questions and conjecturing about God's posture in the midst of human predicament. In our limitedness, we can make all kinds of assumptions. This comes through clearly in the above discourse.
Job's friend Elihu listens to Job's claims of righteousness and basically confronts Job with this summary question: "Do you really think the way you choose to live affects God in any shape or form? Your repeated good deeds or sins do not affect God in any way. It only affects humans like ourselves!"
But Elihu is dead wrong! Our sinful actions do have an effect on God. God does care about how humans conduct themselves on earth.
David, the man after God's own heart, has an answer: "When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers -- the moon and the stars you set in place -- what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?”
Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor.
You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority. . ." (Psalm 8:3-6.)
So, yes, God cares about how we conduct ourselves -- good or bad -- because He made us a little lower than Himself and has entrusted us with so much. He cares about the plight of everyone, including the poor and destitute. He cares about right and wrong. He cares about justice and mercy. He cares about the hungry and destitute. He cares about rich and poor alike and desires that righteousness will prevail among humans. In fact, God so cares about humans that He sent His Son Jesus to die and reconcile us to Him.
So does our conduct good or bad affect the God of heaven? Yes, because He has a vested interest in our wellbeing! Human conduct does affect God.
Job's friend Elihu listens to Job's claims of righteousness and basically confronts Job with this summary question: "Do you really think the way you choose to live affects God in any shape or form? Your repeated good deeds or sins do not affect God in any way. It only affects humans like ourselves!"
But Elihu is dead wrong! Our sinful actions do have an effect on God. God does care about how humans conduct themselves on earth.
David, the man after God's own heart, has an answer: "When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers -- the moon and the stars you set in place -- what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?”
Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor.
You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority. . ." (Psalm 8:3-6.)
So, yes, God cares about how we conduct ourselves -- good or bad -- because He made us a little lower than Himself and has entrusted us with so much. He cares about the plight of everyone, including the poor and destitute. He cares about right and wrong. He cares about justice and mercy. He cares about the hungry and destitute. He cares about rich and poor alike and desires that righteousness will prevail among humans. In fact, God so cares about humans that He sent His Son Jesus to die and reconcile us to Him.
So does our conduct good or bad affect the God of heaven? Yes, because He has a vested interest in our wellbeing! Human conduct does affect God.
Prayer: Father, Thank you for caring about me.