Those With Simple Theology Always Have a Lot To Say

Forgive the snarky title, but it's very true. Theological study is never simple. Why? Because life is complicated and God is beyond our knowledge. We can only see dimly, as Paul says. 

When Job's first friend speaks after a 7-day silence vigil we says the following:

Job 4:1–2 (ESV) Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: 2 “If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? Yet who can keep from speaking?

Notice the phrase, "a word". Because he will venture far more than that. He will speak for two chapters. And his theology of suffering is so simple, you get a bit nauseated as he speaks. 

He begins:

Job 4:7 (ESV) “Remember: who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off?

He's going in for the kill off the top. He wants to cast the blame squarely where he believes it lies - at Job's feet. Job is suffering because Job sinned. Now Eliphaz has watched Job's life for years. He's seen this man speak for others and live piously and experience God's blessing. So I have to wonder if Eliphaz was a bit jealous of Job and now finally wants to see where Job failed so he may feel better about himself. This is simple theology. A theology that is not centered on the wonder of God and His calling on our lives but rather on how we compare to others. 

Simple theology gets mad at God when good things happen to people we think are worse than us. Simple theology seeks to accuse and find blame rather than to listen and learn when people are hurting. Eliphaz is the worst friend of the three in many ways because of this.

Then Eliphaz pulls the "God told me" card. 

Job 4:15–16 (ESV) A spirit glided past my face; the hair of my flesh stood up. 16 It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; there was silence, then I heard a voice:

I'm a Pastor. I have been for over 2 decades. If there's a phrase that drives me crazy it's "God told me". Don't get me wrong. I believe the Holy Spirit still guides and speaks to our spirits and leads us in the Word of God and in the direction God wants us to take for our lives. But when it comes to offering others advice, beware of the "God told me to tell you" phrase. Simple theology does this all time. They use their own "impressions" or experiences to speak to others as if they certainly know all the conditions and facts surrounding events and are therefore the voice of reason. 

Now what is confusing for Job is that Eliphaz says some very true things. But he says true things without all the context and information necessary. Simple theology does this as well. It speaks too much on things about which there is little knowledge. We need to listen and learn before we let people hear what we know.

What Eliphaz and Job both do NOT know is what happened in the heavenly court between God and Satan. And in our own experiences of tragedy and sorrow, we do not have all the details God has. We can only trust Him in the pain.

So perhaps the first thing we realize from Job's friends is how to NOT speak. The journey through this discovery is going to be long but I believe there's much truth to be gathered. At times