"SELF-FOR-SELF OR
SELF-FOR-CHRIST?
"

Sunday, August 23, 1998 pm
MF Blume

Job  2:1-5  Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.


Defintion of INTEGRITY:

The term "SKIN-FOR-SKIN" means SELF-FOR-SELF.

Satan clearly was a "self-for-self" creature.

 

Isaiah recounts:
 

The SELF emphasis was so clearly Satan's new personality.

He filled the hearts of Adam and Eve with the same attitude and disposition.

Satan pointed out what the tree of forbidden fruit could do for HER.
 

He spoke things of SELF-FOR-SELF  to her.

She began considering the self advantages the tree offered her.

Satan found that putting people into a self-for-self personality-grouping would render them lost and without God as it rendered him lost.

People who "look out for number one," meaning "look out for themselves," would never be able to live for God.

Satan felt that no one existed who was SELF-FOR-OTHERS or SELF-FOR-CHRIST.

Job stood strong.

So Job was hurt directly.

Job still stood strong.

Job became the first real type of Jesus Christ. It is like the Pharaoh who tried to stop the Israelites from multiplying so he afflicted them, but the more they afflicted them the more they  multiplied.

Satan worked against Job, and it only turned out that Job became stronger for God.

The believer who loves God will be thrown into circumstances that will move them to become stronger. Paul found that GRACE and the SPIRIT OF RESURRECTION only work when death strikes children of God.

Paul knew that glory works when we suffer.

God allowed Satan to do what he did. If you are filled with integrity, then you will only be made stronger. When Job was finished, he was blessed TWICE AS MUCH AS BEFOREHAND!

Job's friends came by and tried to comfort him, but they were really sent by the devil.

God not only wants us to be SELF-FOR-CHRIST but also SELF-FOR-OTHERS.

As with Jesus, the devil made a great mistake.

Notice the PROGRESSION of the following STAGES of our christian life.
 

LITTLE CHILDREN
YOUNG MEN
FATHERS

LITTLE CHILDREN

YOUNG MEN FATHERS Little children know Christ as CHRIST FOR THEM Young men know CHRIST IN THEM. FATHERS know CHRIST AS THEM. FATHERS are filled with integrity. Paul was SELF-FOR-CHRIST.

Give everything to Christ!