Does Job fear God for nothing?

Does Job fear God for nothing?

Everything we do has a motive behind. When we give gifts, do good deeds to someone or give a helping hand, we do most of the time expecting something in return. I remember some people going to funeral service saying they attended the funeral so that when they die people will come for their funeral. A religious leader once recalled a candidate came for God’s ministerial work with a fake certificate. Many people, both Christians and non-Christians alike, worship God for blessings, prosperity and wellbeing.  “Does Job fear the Lord for nothing?” is a question Satan asked God concerning the faith of Job in Job chapter 1. The accuser accused Job that the faith and love he had for God was due to the blessings God has given to Job. What about you and me? Do we fear God for nothing? What are our reasons behind serving the Lord? Salary? Name? Fame? Interest? Passion? Let us reason the reasons behind serving the Lord and the right motive to worship God. 

Prosperity driven Christians:

Many Christians worship the Lord to get blessings. Blessing is nothing unbiblical. And my God will meet all your needs according to the richness of His glory in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:9).  Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away your sickness from among you (Exodus 23:25). But if blessing is the sole reason to worship, what is the difference between Christians and the pagans? No difference at all! They have god for fertility, wealth, even for rain and sun. If the motive to worship God is wealth, health, luck and good life, you can’t answer the difficulties of life. You may claim many promise verses in the Bible, but if you only expect good things, you will be discouraged and even doubt God when calamity comes. 

Poverty driven Christians:

Quite the opposite of Prosperity driven Christians there are some Christians who uphold poverty as the sign of true Christianity. They also found many verses in the Bible that support their ideology. Some examples: Sell your possessions and give to the poor (Luke 12:33). Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God (Luke 6:20). Most of the Biblical texts quoted in support of both the cases (prosperity and poverty) are taken out of the context. A question for those who uphold this idea of being always poor to be a Christian is: Is God happy to see us always in need and want? The answer will definitely be NO.  If neither prosperity driven nor poverty driven motive to worship is wrong what will be the right motive to worship God?

The Right Motive to worship the Lord:

The right motive to worship God is clearly seen in the word ‘worship’ itself. The word worship etymologically means condition of being worthy, dignity, glory. It is a combination of two words worth (worthy)+ -scipe (-ship) sense of reverence paid to divine being. We worship God not because of our desire to be blessed or to show our faithfulness but because of who He is and what He is.  We worship God not because of what we are but because He deserves our worship and we are designed to worship Him. He is worthy to be worshipped. 

A psalmist says: 

Scribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
Bring an offering and come into his courts.
Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth. Psalms 96:7-8

How to worship?

“God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth. John 4:24”

This is how we should worship God. Then how do we worship in Spirit when we are only physical beings? To be able to worship Him in Spirit, we should first have life in Spirit. To have life in spirit we should be born in spirit. Which means we must first be born again.  Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” John 3:3. 

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2

Job did not fear God because of the blessings he received. But because Job truly knew God. He worshipped and feared the Lord because of what God is not conditioned by his blessings or even his sufferings. He proved Satan wrong in front of God. 

May we worship and fear God in the right motive and in the right way just like Job did, and according to God’s will not according to our will!