Therein lies our problem

Job’s three friends witnessed him suffer many catastrophic events. Thousands of his animals were stolen or killed, his ten children and servants killed, and his body ravaged with boils from head to toe. As good friends, they rushed to Job’s side to “comfort and console him,” sitting with him for seven days and nights without saying a word. (Job 2:11–13, NLT).

The Response of Job’s Friends Makes Sense

When they finally spoke, their response wasn’t unreasonable.

If only you would prepare your heart and lift up your hands to him in prayer! Get rid of your sins, and leave all iniquity behind you. (Job 11:13–14, NLT)

Job’s friends concluded that he sinned and needed to repent. Their response was logical in light of another verse we know —

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. (Galatians 6:7, NIV)

What if you were Job? Would his friends’ assessment persuade you of guilt?

After all, these men got many things right about God (and let’s commend them for keeping quiet for seven days!)

Job’s Friends Were Right About a Few Things

He does great things too marvelous to understand. He performs countless miracles. He gives rain for the earth and water for the fields. He gives prosperity to the poor and protects those who suffer. (Job 5:9–11, NLT)

But look, God will not reject a person of integrity, nor will he lend a hand to the wicked. (Job 8:20, NLT)

Don’t you realize that from the beginning of time, ever since people were first placed on the earth, the triumph of the wicked has been short lived and the joy of the godless has been only temporary? Though the pride of the godless reaches to the heavens and their heads touch the clouds, yet they will vanish forever, thrown away like their own dung. (Job 20:4–7, NLT)

God is so great — higher than the heavens, higher than the farthest stars. (Job 22:12, NLT)

God is powerful and dreadful. He enforces peace in the heavens. Who is able to count his heavenly army? Doesn’t his light shine on all the earth? How can a mortal be innocent before God? Can anyone born of a woman be pure? God is more glorious than the moon; he shines brighter than the stars. In comparison, people are maggots; we mortals are mere worms. (Job 25: 2–6, NLT)

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Think about it. These were Job’s friends who knew him well. The account gives us no reason to doubt their motives and sincerity. They tried to counsel him based on the facts they knew, and they spoke the truth about God. They didn’t have the backstory you and I have — Job was the star of a grand chess match between God and Satan.

Sincere words from friends, mixed with God talk, delivered at our weakest moments, can be persuasive.

But their conclusions about Job were unfounded. God sets the record straight for our benefit in the book’s very first sentence.

“There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless — a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil.” (Job 1:1, NLT)

The Response of Job’s Friends Teaches Us a Lesson

The three amigo’s responses serve as an insightful lesson.

Truth mixed with misinformation is a dangerously convincing cocktail.

What if Job had bought into his friends’ assessments? He would’ve missed the blessings that came after the burdens. Much worse, he could’ve cursed God and lost faith in Him.

If we’re not careful, we’ll fall victim to truth wrapped in lies.

The Christian’s Greatest Threat

You won’t find the Christian’s greatest threat outside of the church. Jesus warns us that the enemy is within.

Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. (Matthew 7:15, NIV)

False christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand.” (Mark 13:22–23, ESV)

Jesus’s 2000-year-old warning is more relevant today than ever. American churches are alive and well with many false gospels — Prosperity, Word of Faith, Universalism, and New Age Christianity, among others. These false gospels season their lies with enough truth to disarm and direct you away from the true Gospel and the real Jesus.

Dangerous, indeed.

As laypeople, we’re geared to trust the guys with seminary degrees behind the pulpit. Unfortunately, we can’t check our God-given brains at the door or shove the Holy Spirit into a closet — those who do, find themselves in a cult.

John said,

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1, ESV)

How To Defend Against Mixed Truth

Job teaches us how to defend against truth mixed with misinformation.

Know who you are in Christ.

As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made my life bitter, as long as I have life within me, the breath of God in my nostrils, my lips will not say anything wicked, and my tongue will not utter lies. I will never admit you are in the right; till I die, I will not deny my integrity. I will maintain my innocence and never let go of it; my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live. (Job 27:2–6, NIV)

If I have walked with falsehood or my foot has hurried after deceit — let God weigh me in honest scales and he will know that I am blameless — (Job 31:5–6, NIV)

Job had confidence in who he was, and despite massive personal, physical, and financial tragedies, he never cursed God or doubted his innocence. Knowing the Scriptures and who you are in Christ is your most potent weapon against the deceptive lies of the Enemy.

Wrapping It Up

Job’s friends gave him misguided advice, but the story is a cautionary tale. We must be wary of truth wrapped in lies. Jesus warned us about false teachers, who can be found within the church today. To defend against mixed truth, we must know who we are in Christ, relying on the Scriptures and our identity in Him as our strongest weapons against deception.

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