Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
Job 22:3 is part of Eliphaz's third speech accusing Job. It belongs to the friends' debate about the cause and purpose of human suffering. The friends' general claims may be true, but they misapplied them to Job. Suffering does not prove that a person is under God's displeasure. Eliphaz's statements about God and Job must not be treated as reliable merely because they are recorded in Scripture, but accepted only where they agree with inspired teaching elsewhere.
Human righteousness and perfect conduct bring no pleasure, gain, or benefit to the Almighty. Even complete obedience to his righteous will would not benefit him or make him the debtor. Even if Abraham had been justified by works, he could only have gloried before men and not before God. For he would still have been an unprofitable servant with nothing profitable to offer God. People have not in fact done their whole duty, so their plea must be for mercy through Jesus and the cleansing power of his blood.
Job 22:3 is part of Eliphaz's third speech accusing Job. It belongs to the friends' debate about the cause and purpose of human suffering. The friends' general claims may be true, but they misapplied them to Job. Suffering does not prove that a person is under God's displeasure. Eliphaz's statements about God and Job must not be treated as reliable merely because they are recorded in Scripture, but accepted only where they agree with inspired teaching elsewhere.
Human righteousness and perfect conduct bring no pleasure, gain, or benefit to the Almighty. Even complete obedience to his righteous will would not benefit him or make him the debtor. Even if Abraham had been justified by works, he could only have gloried before men and not before God. For he would still have been an unprofitable servant with nothing profitable to offer God. People have not in fact done their whole duty, so their plea must be for mercy through Jesus and the cleansing power of his blood.