Counsel Based on Tradition
The sermon explores the dangers of relying on traditional wisdom and misinterpretation of facts, using Job's story as a key example.
Theodore Epp discusses the dangers of relying on human tradition and interpretation, as exemplified by Bildad's misguided counsel to Job. Bildad's arguments, based solely on assumptions and appearances, failed to acknowledge God's justice and the true nature of Job's suffering. Epp emphasizes the importance of discerning between facts and interpretations, warning that not all interpretations are valid and that essential truths may be overlooked. He encourages Christians to seek understanding rooted in Christ rather than in the flawed wisdom of men.
Text
Job 8:1-10
Bildad made no appeal to the revealed will of God but only to whatever wisdom the fathers may have taught.
He asked if God perverted justice. The answer, of course, is no. Then Bildad used this premise to argue that Job must have lost his children because of some transgression on their part. He also charged Job with lack of purity and uprightness.
This was little help to a man who, according to Job 1, had offered sacrifices to God just in case his children had offended God in something they had said or done. Then to have them accused of some sin that was so great that they all died because of it was a terrible charge to make.
The arguments of Bildad were all from appearance and based on suppositions. He used many "ifs." He did not really know, but he supposed many things. This was the way he interpreted the situation, but his interpretation was wrong.
Christians need to learn to distinguish between facts and how the facts are interpreted. Just because we read something does not mean we may assume that something else is also true.
Just because one person interprets a set of facts a certain way does not mean that his interpretation is correct. All the facts may not be given. And often the withholding of one essential fact can change the interpretation.
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" (Col. 2:8).
Sermon Outline
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I
- Introduction to Bildad's arguments
- The issue of justice and God's character
- The implications of traditional wisdom
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II
- Job's integrity and sacrifices
- The false accusations against Job
- The impact of misinterpretation
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III
- Distinguishing facts from interpretations
- The danger of assumptions
- The importance of complete information
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IV
- The role of tradition in understanding truth
- Philosophy versus Christ's teachings
- Guarding against deceit
Key Quotes
“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” — Theodore Epp
“Just because we read something does not mean we may assume that something else is also true.” — Theodore Epp
“All the facts may not be given. And often the withholding of one essential fact can change the interpretation.” — Theodore Epp
Application Points
- Always seek to understand the full context before drawing conclusions about a situation.
- Be cautious of interpretations that are based solely on tradition rather than Scripture.
- Regularly evaluate your beliefs against the teachings of Christ to avoid being misled.