In Job 15, Eliphaz criticizes Job’s responses, accusing him of arrogance and rejecting wisdom. He insists that suffering r esults from sin, emphasising human imperfection and warning that rebellion against God brings ruin, despair, and ultimate destruction.
Live a Christlike life
Job 15:20 (MSG) “Those who live by their own rules, not God’s, can expect nothing but trouble, and the longer they live, the worse it gets.” Those who live by their own rules—ignoring the ways of Christ—fail to make Jesus the centre of their lives. This includes neglecting to seek Jesus daily, misunderstanding His purpose for them, and allowing distractions to take precedence over time with Him. Such a life often lacks direction, becoming a cycle of worsening trouble and emptiness. How often do we allow our own will and distractions to keep us from living in alignment with Jesus?
Today, let us set aside our own desires and surrender to the will of Christ. What does it mean to follow His will? It means becoming more like Him in character and purpose. As believers, our goal is to reflect Christ in all aspects of life. This Christlike transformation is God’s ultimate purpose for us. Romans 8:29 (ESV) “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.”
Transformation
To achieve this transformation, we must actively cooperate with the Holy Spirit. Becoming like Christ requires intentionality. While Jesus is a gift we receive, true discipleship involves daily effort and devotion. To embody Christ’s character, we must follow several steps:
Surrender to God
Romans 12:1-2 (TPT) “Beloved friends, what should be our proper response to God’s marvellous mercies? To surrender yourselves to God to be his sacred, living sacrifices… inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit… to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.”
John 3:30 (TPT) “It is necessary for him to increase and for me to decrease.” Surrendering to God leads to transformation, aligning us with His heart and purpose.
Freedom from Sin
Romans 6:11 (TPT) “Since you are now joined with him, you must continually view yourselves as dead and unresponsive to sin’s appeal while living daily for God’s pleasure in union with Jesus, the Anointed One.”
Romans 6:18 (TPT) “You’ve left [sin’s] bondage, and now God’s perfect righteousness holds power over you.”
Embracing Christ frees us from the power of sin, leading us to live for His purposes.
Spiritual Growth
2 Peter 3:18 (TPT) “But continue to grow and increase in God’s grace and intimacy with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
Matthew 5:6 (NIV) “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
Spiritual growth requires drawing near to God consistently, allowing His presence to shape and mature us.
Seek the Presence of God and Live a Holy Life
Psalm 42:1 (NIV) “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.”
1 Corinthians 1:30 (TPT) “For it is not from man that we draw our life but from God… we are being joined to Jesus, the Anointed One… our virtue, our holiness, and our redemption.”
Holiness means being set apart for God, as He is set apart from all other gods. It requires embodying His justice, mercy, and righteousness.
As we grow in holiness, we mirror God’s character to the world. Holiness is not just a way of acting, but a manifestation of God’s Spirit in us. Grace enables holiness, but we must still make right choices and submit to God’s Word.
1 Peter 1:13-21 (TPT) encourages us: “Prepare your hearts and minds for action! Stay alert and fix your hope firmly on the marvellous grace that is coming to you… shape your lives to become like the Holy One who called you… ‘You are to be holy, because I am holy.’… It was not a ransom payment of silver and gold… but the precious blood of Christ…”
This was God’s plan from the foundation of the world. Through Jesus, we now have faith and hope in God alone. Let us fix our hearts on Christ and live by His will, not our own.