The accuser of believers is Satan himself. He goes before God to accuse us of our sins and constantly reminds us of our sins to make us feel condemned and unworthy before God. He will use circumstances to make us think that God is punishing us through natural disasters like the COVID19 pandemic that also is bringing on the economic crisis. The aim of the devil is to deceive us to think that God is the source of our problems. He wants us to be drawn away from God, be bitter against God and ultimately give up our faith and hope in God. This is seen in the account of Job’s sufferings at the beginning of the book when Satan challenges God about Job’s faith that has not been tested by suffering because of God’s protection and blessings.
Job 1:10-11 NKJV “Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”
These two scenes in Heaven from the books of Job and Revelation differentiate the work of God and the devil to us. God builds a hedge of protection around us and has assigned angels to protect our comings and goings. He is the one who gives us the power to get wealth through His wisdom, gifts and abilities. He wants us to have an abundant life filled with love, joy and peace. However, the devil only comes to steal, kill and destroy.
John 10:10 NKJV“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
The wonderful news is that God has provided a mediator and an advocate for us in Jesus who comes between us and God to defend us against the accuser, the devil. His blood has redeemed us and our sins are forgiven forever. It was God’s plan to restore sinning Christians by firstly appointing Jesus as the advocate to plead the case for sinners. Jesus is definitely able to secure our pardon. Secondly, Jesus is the propitiation for our sins so that all those who call upon his name will be saved.
Romans 8:33-35 NKJV“Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?….
We take comfort that whenever the devil attempts to bring something against us before God and demands that we are punished for our sins, Jesus only has to show His pierced hands and sides to prove that He has paid for our sins with His blood and we are completely forgiven and God has declared us righteous. Therefore nobody, including the devil, can bring any charge against us or condemn us with Jesus as our mediator and advocate!
Sermon Series: Resurrection Sunday – Job & I (Part 1)
耶稣，我们在天上的中保
启示录12:10我听见在天上有大声音说：“我神的救恩、能力、国度，并祂基督的能力、都来到了。因为那在我们神面前昼夜控告我们弟兄的，已经被摔下去了。”
信徒的控告者就是撒旦本人。牠来到神面前，控告我们的罪，不断地提醒我们的罪，使我们觉得自己在神面前是有罪的，是不配的。牠会利用环境让我们认为，神是在通过自然灾害惩罚我们，比如COVID19新冠病毒大流行及其所导致的经济危机。魔鬼的目的就是欺骗我们，使我们认为神是我们问题的根源。牠要我们远离神，对神充满苦毒，最终放弃对神的信心和盼望。这从经文一开头约伯的遭遇中可以看到，撒但挑战神说因着神的保守和祝福，约伯的信心还没有经受过苦难的试炼。
约伯记1:10-11 “祢岂不是四面圈上篱笆围护他和他的家、并他一切所有的吗？他手所作的，都蒙祢赐福。他的家产也在地上增多。祢且伸手毁他一切所有的；他必当面弃掉祢!”
约伯记和启示录中天堂里的这两个场景为我们把神的作为和魔鬼的工作区分了开来。神在我们周围筑起一道屏障，派天使保护我们的出入。祂是赐我们力量，使我们靠着祂的智慧、恩赐和能力获得财富的那一位。祂想要我们有一个充满爱、喜乐与平安的丰盛生命。然而，魔鬼来却只是为了偷窃、杀害和毁坏。
约翰福音10:10 “盗贼来、无非要偷窃、杀害、毁坏；我来了、是要叫羊〔或作人〕得生命、并且得的更丰盛。”
好消息是神在耶稣里为我们提供了中保和辩护者，祂在我们和神之间，就魔鬼的控告为我们辩护。祂的宝血救赎了我们，我们的罪已永远得到赦免。神的计划是首先指定耶稣为中保，为罪人代求，藉此恢复罪中的基督徒。耶稣绝对能使我们得到赦免。其次，耶稣为我们的罪作了挽回祭，叫一切求告祂名的人都得拯救。
罗马书8:33-35 “谁能控告神所拣选的人呢？有神称他们为义了。谁能定他们的罪呢? 有耶稣基督已经死了、而且从死里复活、现今在神的右边、也替我们祈求。谁能使我们与基督的爱隔绝呢?”
我们感到安慰的是，每当魔鬼试图在神面前控告我们并要求我们为自己的罪付代价时,耶稣只需要展示祂被刺透的手和肋旁，来证明祂已经为我们的罪付上了祂宝血为赎价，因此我们已得到完全的赦免，神也已称我们为义。因此，耶稣既已是我们的中保，包括魔鬼在内的任何人都不能控告我们，也不能定我们的任何罪。
讲章系列: 复活主日—约伯与我 (第一部分)