Job has been confronted by Bildad, who has explained to him that he is a sinner and needs to repent, completely, totally, immediately, and that he needs to go and sin no more. As we have seen with the statements of Eliphaz, this is the unvarnished demand of God's Law. The soul who sins must die. We are commanded to repent. We must ask for forgiveness and puge all sin from ourselves. Job rightly asks whether anyone is able to do this. He knows God's requirements. He knows that he is ultimately a sinner. And he knows, as do we, that he will remain a sinner the rest of his life, no matter how hard he prays, no matter how well he repents, no matter how many sacrifices he makes, no matter how many acts of charity he does. Ultimately all of Job's good works are the works of a sinner. They all have a self-centered element. And his repentance will not be complete. He is unable to confess all his wrong, for as he is confessing he will certainly confess out of evil motives. He will confess his sin because he wants to be rescued, not because sin is bad. He will forget some sin. He will seek to gloss over some sin. Like our confession, Job's confession will be inadequate. Like our belief which we can muster, Job's belief will be imperfect. Like our faith, which wavers, Job's faith will waver. He knows this. If he has to come to God in his own righteousness he is undone.
What does Job need? He needs a mediator. He needs someone to hear his plea. He needs someone who is able to make his plea before the throne of God. In short, he needs Jesus, perfect man and perfect God, two natures in one person, who is able to live a perfect life of righteousness and faith on his behalf, die in his place, and rise to new life as the firstfruits of the resurrection. Job needs Jesus, just like we do. In Christ, life, repentance, and forgiveness is not our work. It is the result of the work of Jesus. Let us turn to Jesus, our Mediator, looking at his faithfulness, not our own.
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