The guys at the Nathanael Greene Society chapter of the OGC had me on to talk about the book of Job and boy did I talk. I did what amounted to an hour and a half lecture on this important book.
What a great talk, thank you very much. I've just been reading Ellul's Money and Power which has this banger regarding Job and is a terrific takedown of the "social-centric church", socialism, and capitalism.
"Abraham’s attitude shows how he can be both rich and righteous. We see the same sort of righteousness in Job. Right from the beginning we see that wealth is a temptation. Satan says to God, 'Job is just, upright, a man of integrity because he is rich, because you have blessed him.' We often hear this idea from the poor, the unfortunate, laborers, employees, small businessmen: 'Honesty and piety and justice are luxuries. When you have what you need to live well, then you can also afford to be religious and moral; but when you’re poor, you don’t have time for such frills.' Job’s prologue (written at a time when middle-class morality did not exist, but wealth did) shows us that this popular attitude is a word from Satan, and those who promote it are Satan’s mouthpiece." (Page 39)
Yes. This idea is literally from Satan. So much for "good intentions".
Riches are a temptation for rich and poor alike. Money and Power is great book. It’s been a long time since I read it. It changed my thinking entirely about the subject.
I do think this is a fundamental temptation/accusation by Satan: if you take away his hedge of protection he will curse you.
It changed my thinking too. I realized that I've been completely utilitarian about my giving. It was quite shocking to see how unchristianlike I am about my money.
Edit: see, again? I'm saying "my money" like a reflex. LOL
Excellent. Great plug. I’ll definitely be listening. Speaking of plugs, I did several months of content on Job last year.
https://open.substack.com/pub/problempassages/p/job-1?r=pm83&utm_medium=ios
What a great talk, thank you very much. I've just been reading Ellul's Money and Power which has this banger regarding Job and is a terrific takedown of the "social-centric church", socialism, and capitalism.
"Abraham’s attitude shows how he can be both rich and righteous. We see the same sort of righteousness in Job. Right from the beginning we see that wealth is a temptation. Satan says to God, 'Job is just, upright, a man of integrity because he is rich, because you have blessed him.' We often hear this idea from the poor, the unfortunate, laborers, employees, small businessmen: 'Honesty and piety and justice are luxuries. When you have what you need to live well, then you can also afford to be religious and moral; but when you’re poor, you don’t have time for such frills.' Job’s prologue (written at a time when middle-class morality did not exist, but wealth did) shows us that this popular attitude is a word from Satan, and those who promote it are Satan’s mouthpiece." (Page 39)
Yes. This idea is literally from Satan. So much for "good intentions".
Riches are a temptation for rich and poor alike. Money and Power is great book. It’s been a long time since I read it. It changed my thinking entirely about the subject.
I do think this is a fundamental temptation/accusation by Satan: if you take away his hedge of protection he will curse you.
It changed my thinking too. I realized that I've been completely utilitarian about my giving. It was quite shocking to see how unchristianlike I am about my money.
Edit: see, again? I'm saying "my money" like a reflex. LOL
We all do it. Even when we want to break free of our presuppositions, it’s hard because we are blind to them. They operate subconsciously.