Repentance Part 2: The Distance to God

Two years ago, I had an idea to give two sermons, basically a Part 1 and a Part 2, on a particular subject. And I gave Part 1, and then guess what? COVID hit. And we had to forego services for a time there. And then when we did pick it back up, I did not go to Part 2. So what I'm going to do today, even though it's two years later, I'm going to give Part 2. Now, you'll know what Part 1 is shortly because I'll get to it, and I'll tell you what it was. But I want to go through a few notes of what I covered two years ago, right about the time COVID was about to hit.

So I'll just rehearse this because at that time, I was going to use some notes from that Part 1 to kind of springboard into Part 2. So I just have to do this two years later. How good's your memory? Anyhow, what's the bottom line on baptism and the laying on of hands? We're familiar with baptism. We're familiar with the laying on hands. But what's the bottom line on it? What's the bottom line that is on being covered in the blood of Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit? What's the bottom line on that? What's the bottom line on continuing to be covered in the blood of Christ and continuing to receive the Spirit of God?

In other words, what gives validity to our baptism? And what keeps it valid? What allows us to be a receptor of God's Holy Spirit and keeps us a receiver of it?

What is brought into the picture at the beginning of the process? Because it is a process and must remain in the process for the process itself to remain. It is a word that expresses a very, very comprehensive condition. I'll read quickly. I've got some ground I want to cover. Acts 2 and verse 38 are very clear. There is no wiggle room, not obscure, not ambiguous, not vague. When the crowd, some of those in the crowd on the day of Pentecost and Acts 2 said to Peter, What must we do?

He responded just that quickly because he knew the answer in Acts 2.38. Then Peter said to them, and again, you think about the fact that when they're asking what should they do, the very first thing that he says to them is, Repent. It's not complicated. That is where the process truly begins. Repent and be baptized. Okay, I've not repented, but I want to be baptized. No, you want to get wet. Sorry. Repent and be baptized.

Every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for what reason? The remission of sins. Well, how does remission of sins come by being put under the covering blood of Jesus Christ? And, of course, under the covering blood of Jesus Christ, you're viewed as a clean vessel, and God will put His Holy Spirit in you through the laying on of hands. And that's all encapsulated here in this. It actually speaks to a chronological process.

Repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Repent or repentance? That is the key that opens it all up. That keeps it open. This key, this condition, this spiritual atmosphere must be put in place and never lost. To the degree that we understand it and apply it, live in it, and with it to that degree, we will grow and we will develop and we will become what God has purposed us to be.

This issue that is so key combines some of the most basic things with some of the deepest things. You know, we talk about truths of God, truths of God. There are basic truths. And then there are very deep truths of God. Well, it combines some of the most basic things with some of the most deep things. One, and I don't care what people claim, I don't care what they say, I believe the Bible, not them. One can never be in Christ. Oh, I'm in Christ, O you are.

Why are you still sinning? Why are you still trampling on His law? Why are you still... No, you're not in Christ. You may be sincere and you may think you are, but you're not. And God knows you're not. But you'll have an opportunity to realize that someday and repent. No, one can never be in Christ without it. One can never remain in Christ without it. Well, I got in Christ 20 years ago. I repented then. I don't need to now. Well, maybe you're not in Christ anymore. Anyway, one can never remain in Christ without it. You know, think about it, brethren.

It's at the beginning of the process. It's at the finish of it. And it's all along the way, too. And for the process to actually begin to truly get underway, there has to be a basic understanding of that issue. Because, you know, you'd say to somebody, oh, repent. Huh? What? What does that mean? I have no concept of what that word means. If you ran into somebody like that, you'd certainly have to lay out to them what it does and tell them what it means. And if there is a basic understanding and application of it, guess what?

It will be alive. It will be well, alive and well in the person. Then the understanding and the realization will go deeper and deeper. The deepest things of God will begin to combine with the basics. What really makes up true repentance, what really makes it up, will go deeper and deeper. And a person will have a fuller and fuller understanding as time goes on, guess what? Of themselves. They'll have a fuller understanding. If true repentance is there, as time goes on, the person will have a fuller and fuller understanding of themselves, of their needs, of their sins, of their shortcomings.

And correspondingly, they'll have a fuller and deeper understanding of God, of His magnitude, of His power, of His glory. And one's understanding will become more and more comprehensive, more and more complete. And they'll come to more fully realize how the core elements, the core elements of repentance, will be there for eternity. See, it's not like I get resurrected and all of a sudden the core elements that form repentance are no longer in me.

They got washed away. I'd be in trouble if that occurred. Now, the core elements will be there for eternity, that every eternal being will be encased, unmovable forever in this spiritual condition, because it is a spiritual condition. And this spiritual condition allows for a never-ending relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ. Two years ago, I dealt with a major ingredient in proof of true repentance, and that is the spirit of obedience.

The spirit of obedience. You can have somebody look at ten things and obey five of them and disregard the other five. That's not a spirit of obedience. You say, well, they obeyed on five things. Well, yeah, they did. What about the other five? Well, they didn't see that as necessary or important. Well, there's not a spirit of obedience. There's a partiality, and there's a difference. But the spirit of obedience, this is both basic and deep. And I titled the sermon, and if I'm not mistaken, it's on the website, I titled the sermon, Repentance Part 1, colon, The Spirit of Obedience. Repentance Part 1, colon, The Spirit of Obedience.

And that is accessible to my knowledge. So that's what I covered. And this spirit of obedience is heart and core to true repentance. See, a major reality is that coverage of sin and reception of God's Spirit does depend.

It hinges on repentance. Keeping that coverage, continuing to receive God's Spirit, depends on keeping repentance. And that means never losing what? Never losing the spirit of obedience. That has to always stay in play.

It also means continuing to grow deeper in that spirit of obedience. It is a simple reality, and this again is an inconvenient truth in some circles. It is a simple reality that Christ died for repentant sin.

You will find no Scripture in the Bible anywhere. This says every human being who has ever lived or shall live or is living will be automatically saved in an eternal life. That wording is not there. What you do find is that every human being in God's plan will have full and fair opportunity.

Whether in this age, the millennial reign or the general resurrection of the eighth day of the last great day. It is a simple reality that Christ died for repentant sin, sin that is repented of. Christ's sacrifice will never, never, ever cover sin that is not repented of.

Because God would have to compromise, and He won't compromise. It will never cover unrepentant sin. Christ's blood cannot and will not cover sin unrepented of, not in this age or the age to come.

But it can cover any thought, any word, any deed, barring none. I mean, none are off limits. Any thought, any word, any deed can be covered if it's repented of. And that is most encouraging.

I realize we are approximately six weeks out from Passover. Boy, it will come in a hurry. And it's time to be thinking about, certainly at this time of the year, something that is as important as anything we deal with in our attaining to the Kingdom.

But in closing that sermon two years ago, I posed a question. I posed a question as part of a personal test. A personal test that each of us can do with ourselves. As part of a personal test to assess one's own spirit of obedience.

It's like, okay, do you want to know, or at least have an idea of how strong your spirit of obedience is? Okay. Ask yourself these questions. Is there a sin in my life that I have accepted? Say, we can all do that. We can sit off by ourselves sometime in a quiet place and give us some thought and just be honest with ourselves, nobody around. Is there a sin in my life that I know is a sin in my life that I've just decided to accept? Or is it just slightly different? Is there a sin in my life that I have decided to live with? Oh, yeah, I know I've got this sin, but, you know, I can live with it. I'll tolerate it. Is there a sin in our life, is there a sin in my life, that I have quit resisting? I have quit fighting it. I've got this sin in my life, but I no longer fight it. I no longer resist it. I just leave it alone.

If so, and such a person dies, they'll die in that sin. Would you be comfortable dying in that sin? Would you be confident in that condition? I certainly wouldn't. I realize and recognize and read how in Revelation 21.7, right there next to the last chapter of the Bible, once again, Revelation 21.7, how God says, He that overcomes will inherit all things, and I'll be his guide. Well, that means, okay, I can't say, okay, I recognize I got this sin. I'm not going to fight it. I'm not going to try to overcome it. It doesn't matter. I can live with this one. That is not the spirit of obedience. Deep true repentance is not there.

So in Part 2 today, I'm going to deal with another major ingredient, and proof of true repentance.

Now, this title might not necessarily make sense when you first hear it, but by the time I'm through with it, it'll make sense. The distance to guide. The distance to guide. So, repentance, Part 2, colon, the distance to guide.

Repentance, Part 2, the distance to guide. How much distance is there between you and God? How far apart are you?

Now, the distance I'm talking about relates to two basic issues. As it relates to these two basic issues, it does serve as a fruit or proof of true repentance in a person.

Now, in true repentance, there is light and there is realization. Light and realization towards oneself, and obviously light and realization toward God.

This light and this realization affects this specific distance I am talking about. In fact, in reality, it creates it.

This distance with one issue stretches further than the eye can see. With the other issue, it's as close as you want it to be.

The first issue of distance regards, and this is the one I'm going to deal with first. The first issue of distance regards the nature and goodness of God.

In the repentant mind, when you talk about the nature and the goodness of God, in the repentant mind, this is magnified more and more with time.

The difference between us and our natural state, and God in His total goodness, becomes greater and greater in our realization.

We begin to see how truly far apart we really are. That gap grows. We begin to more fully comprehend certain scriptures, such as, for instance, Romans 3.23.

In Romans 3.23, this is what it says. It says, The more we capture His glory in our realization, the more we realize just how short we have come.

Romans 3.10. Romans 3.10, where it states, None is righteous, no, not one. One of the most common definitions for sin means to miss the mark. Missing the mark, or to miss the mark. We have all missed the mark to one degree or another. And all you would have to do is go to the Sermon on the Mount. All you would have to do is read chapters 5, 6, and 7 of Matthew, Sermon on the Mount. Just read it from what Christ said. And, wow! I mean, it makes it very plain, certainly plenty plain enough, how that we've all missed the mark to one degree or another. Because, see, everyone has neglected God to some degree. There are no exceptions. It doesn't matter if you're talking about Moses, it doesn't matter if you're talking about Joseph, it doesn't matter if you're talking about Peter or Paul or any of us today. You can't name a human being called or uncalled. There is not neglected God to some degree. And here's another reality. None of us, I don't care who we are, none of us in and of ourselves are holy and righteous. Do we not think that if God could generate human beings from the get-go as holy and righteous, He wouldn't have done it?

There's no way. Now, we talk about a baby being born neutral. Yeah, they're born neutral. That neutrality doesn't last very long. They're born neutral, but they're not born holy. They're not born righteous. None of us in and of ourselves are holy and righteous. And the question is, for each of us that we have to ask this, do I really see that? Do I really understand that? Do I really see that about myself? I've had some sad experiences over the years with people. I've had some very happy experiences. I've had some very classic experiences. I remember a little old lady down in Florida years ago.

Sweet little old lady, little white-haired lady, little woman, very aged, still had all of her cognitive abilities, a sweet lady, and she wanted to counsel for baptism. I asked her a simple basic question.

Mrs. so-and-so, have you repented of your sins? She got this puzzle, quizzical, and almost taken a back look on her face, and she said, repented of my sins? Well, I've always been a good person.

The light of repentance was not shining in her, and I did not baptize her. And the last I knew of her, she'll come up in the general resurrection. And that last great day, the light of repentance was not turned on in her. The man in his best state is vanity. You would find that in Psalm 39, in the words of David, Psalm 39 verse 5, that man in his best state is vanity.

And one that became part of my mental framework, psychological framework, spiritual framework, operational framework, was what is found in Jeremiah 17.9. I'm not turning to some of these. You can jot them down. But in Jeremiah 17.9, where it says, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Who can know it? The heart in the human being just naturally falls prey to deception. And basically, in that scripture, the danger is not so much just others deceiving you. It's self-deception. And I have found out and learned over the years that if somebody wants to do something, it doesn't matter how wrong it is. If they want to do something, they can find a way to justify in their own minds that it's okay for them to do this. Anyway, the basic underlying makeup of man is so susceptible to animosity and hostility toward things of God. Now, don't go mess your relationships up with loved ones and friends. But it wouldn't take much for you to pick a fight with them if you wanted to. All you've got to do is start bringing up certain things that you know to be true, you know to be right, you know what God expects of us, and that you know they're going to have to live someday. See, how many of those you bring up before you start losing your friendship? You start losing your relationship. Because what people want to accept, they will accept. What they don't want to accept, even if it's right there in plain Scripture, they won't. Because, again, the basic underlying makeup of man in you and in me is susceptible to animosity and hostility toward the things of God. Think about your learning process when God called you, and you repented, and He brought you along. There were things that you ran into that you readily accepted. Yes. But then there were some things that came along that, well, that... I don't have quite the same affinity and affection for that. I'm going to have to do it. Yeah, I realize I've got to do it, but I kind of don't like it. But at least I recognize I don't, and I'll do something. I'll try to repent of my attitude on that and go on. But there's a natural hostility. There's a natural animosity toward the things of God. I mean, Romans 8-7, that is there as a notation, too, on human nature. Romans 8-7, for the carnal mind is not subject to the law of God. Neither can be. It's hostile. There's animosity. There's enmity. And you know the prenoation world? You know how that God said in Genesis 6-5 about how the hearts of mankind, how it was in them just to do the thoughts and imaginations of their heart, how it was just sat in them to do evil? I mean, you think about it. A world that gets so bad, makes God sick to his stomach, and he says, I'm going to drown them all and start over. That's a pretty bad world. Now, you know what? Part of that proves the condition that their hearts were sat in them continuously to do evil, and it was so bad that God was going to have to literally drown them and start over. It is a living example of what happens when the basic nature that's in human beings is allowed full reign, full reign, especially under the magnification of the demonic world. When you have, just like what's going on right now with Russia and Ukraine, when you have a situation where someone who has the power to leave the people safe in another nation, or to go in there and start crushing them and causing so much hardship and pain and suffering, and is not bothered by doing it, you think that there's some evil nature there? Do you think that there could also be some magnification through spirit?

But when it's given total free reign, you know, you take a neutral baby and you bring it up under certain conditions, you can make him one of the madmen of the world. This is why God talks about how in Isaiah 55 verses 6 through 9, about how that my thoughts are so much higher than your thoughts. You don't really, your thinking is not on the same plane. Mine is, my thoughts are so much higher than yours, my ways are so much higher, and why that he talks about even the human righteousness. And you have to understand the scope of it and the comprehensive scale of it that he's talking about, like Isaiah 64 verse 6, about how all of our righteousness are as unclean rags. That's Isaiah 64, 6. But see, Paul understood and acknowledged this. If you look at Romans 7 and verse 14, Paul acknowledged this in his letter to the Romans. Romans 7 and verse 14. He says, for we know that the law is spiritual. The law is spiritual. What the law incorporates is spiritual. It incorporates the nature of God and his righteousness. And Paul says, but I am carnal, sowed under sin. That's the natural way. Carnal and sowed under sin. And he says in verse 18, he says, for I know that in me that is in my flesh, well, it's no good thing. What had been ingrained in him, what had been imprinted in him, and he says, for to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good, I find not. Paul knew that even under the best conditions, there was not an automatic nature in man to truly take on the things of God. God has to work on us. God has to prepare us. God has to bring us to a point where we can. You know, it's not, it's just not, there's just not an automatic nature in man where he just naturally, truly and naturally takes on the true and the deep things of God.

Paul understood the type nature he had and he understood how ugly it could easily become. What did that do with Paul? It shrunk Paul in his own eyes. It shrunk Paul in his own eyes.

He shrunk in his own magnitude. And at the same time that he shrunk in his own eyes, in his own magnitude, corresponding to this and paralleling with that, his magnitude of God and God's ways increased.

Verse 12, wherefore the law is holy and the commandment holy and just and good.

You know, that which man's natural state has enmity against, as expressed in chapter 8 verse 7, that which there is animosity towards, that's holy. What is resented in all is holy. The law is holy, the commandment holy and just and good.

His magnitude of God and his ways increased.

Of course, James, the Apostle, half-sibling of Christ, confirmed God's goodness when he made the statement as he did back in the book of James, and I will forego turning there. James 1.17, every good gift comes down from the Father of lights and there's no shadow of turning in him.

And we're familiar with that, aren't we? See, Paul experienced not just coming to see how holy and righteous and good God is, but he experienced a continual increase of that. He also continued to experience an increased understanding of himself and of his own natural makeup.

And, okay, what was the result of that? What came out of that? What was the result of that? A greater and greater distance between God and himself. The distance to God.

A greater and greater distance between God and himself on this issue. See, he realized more and more what a gap there was between the natural makeup and God's. God was magnified in his understanding.

This happened with Job in a very classic way. Go with me to the book of Job.

I will acknowledge that there are those who do not know what Job's problem was.

I will acknowledge that you could state it as self-righteousness. That is a correct statement.

But I also acknowledge that many don't know what form of self-righteousness. They don't know the depth of the self-righteousness.

They don't know the type of self-righteousness. They don't know what that self-righteousness was like.

It was self-righteousness, but in a different way of self-righteousness in one sense, it is actually a classic example of self-righteousness.

But that situation of a greater and greater distance between God and Job and any of us for that matter, it happened with Paul, it happened with Job, it has to happen with us.

In Job 42, and I'm going to the end game, I'm going to the final result here, in Job 42, and we know the Scripture, don't we?

In verses 5 and 6. Now, this is a man who had carried a relationship with God, obviously to some degree, up to this point, basically for his lifetime.

And he says this, he says, I have heard of you, I've heard of you, by the hearing of the ear.

But now my eye sees you, I really get it. I really understand you, I understand you, God. I really get it, I understand you.

As a result, because I really get it now, and I really see you, and I really see the size of the situation, I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.

See, Job is considered to be one of the three most righteous men to ever live.

When God wants to notate integrity, when God wants to notate righteousness, when he wants to take certain individuals and use them to illustrate that there's coming a time when you will deliver nobody but yourself. You won't write anybody's coattails. He uses Job, Daniel, and Noah in Ezekiel 14. I won't turn there.

But he says it four times in Ezekiel 14 and verses 14, 16, 18, and 20. Job is considered one of the three most righteous men to ever live. So where did he miss it?

What was behind his statement that we just read here in Job 42 verses 5 and 6?

What aspect of repentance was Job missing? It related to this issue of distance.

It was this issue of distance. See, he didn't truly fully see the distance between his own goodness and the goodness of God.

It's like, okay, on the chart of goodness, you put this big chart up and call it the chart of goodness.

And it's like, okay, we have this chart of goodness.

I may be at the very bottom of that chart of goodness with God.

I may be at the very bottom of that chart of goodness, and God's at the very top of that chart.

But at least I'm on the chart with him.

See, Job, let's say, mentally putting up a chart of goodness, God was on that chart of goodness, and God was at the top of that chart of goodness.

But Job was on that chart, too. Now, he might be down at the bottom, but he's on that chart.

Well, let's look in brief at a sampling of scriptures. It doesn't take, you know, a lot of time.

But let's look in brief at a sampling of scriptures that bear this out.

It's a basic flow through Job that we'll pick up on this.

The basic problem is addressed right at the very beginning. You go back to chapter 4.

Just flow with me through these verses.

In chapter 4 and verse 17, Eliphaz, in a deep sleep, has the spirit appear to him. Now, whether it was an angel or a demon, it doesn't really clarify, but a spirit, an angel, fallen or otherwise, did appear to him.

And it says in verse 7, and this is part of the message that was given to Eliphaz, one of the three friends of Job.

Verse 17, "...shall mortal man..." Now, notice carefully. "...shall mortal man be more just than God." "...shall a man be more pure than his Maker." That kind of sets the stage. "...shall mortal man be more just than God." "...shall a man be more pure than his Maker." Okay. It touches upon something that was heart and core. That had to do with the distance to God.

Chapter 31, verse 6, in the words of Job.

Chapter 31 and verse 6, Job's words.

It's nice to hear those pages turning.

Let me, Job's words, Job talking, let me be weighed in an even balance.

The margin in my Bible says, let him weigh me in balances of justice.

Let me be weighed in a fair balance. I'm not being weighed in a fair balance. Let me be weighed in a fair balance. That God made know my integrity.

Chapter 32 and verse 1.

This is when the three friends finally shut up.

So these three men ceased to answer Job because...why?

Because he was righteous in his own eyes.

Then Eli-Hew, the fourth friend, the much younger one, and the one that God was able to use instrumentally to finally begin to get through to Job and to set the stage for God stepping in, in chapter 38.

But in chapter 32 verse 2, against Job was Eli-Hew's wrath kindled because he, Job, noticed, justified himself rather than God. Chapter 33 and verse 9.

This is Eli-Hew quoting Job. These are quotes of Job.

Now, I want you to think about this human being saying, I am clean without transgression.

I am clean. I have no transgression. I have no sin. I am clean without transgression.

I am innocent. Neither is there iniquity in me. Chapter 33 verse 12. Eli-Hew speaking. Behold, in this you are not just. I will answer you that God is greater than man.

Chapter 34 verse 5. And again, Eli-Hew quoting Job. He quotes him. He says, for Job has said, and he's quoting Job. The quote, I am righteous and God has taken away my judgment. I am righteous and God has taken away my judgment.

Chapter 34 verse 6. And again, Eli-Hew is quoting Job. Chapter 34 verse 6. A quote, should I lie against my right?

My wound is incurable without transgression. There's no transgression in me.

Verse 10, same chapter, verse 10. Eli-Hew, far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should commit iniquity. God does not do wickedly. God does not commit iniquity. He can't. He won't. He can't. Same chapter, verse 12.

Eli-Hew, God will not do wickedly. Neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.

Verse 17, again, Eli-Hew, verse 17. Will you, Job, condemn him that is most just?

You can begin to put it together and piece it together. It's not hard to do if one really wants to go through the book of Job. And you can begin to get to the depth of his transgression, which was not obvious, because he didn't rob, he didn't steal, he didn't commit adultery, he didn't bow down to graven images, he didn't curse God, he didn't do those things.

Chapter 34, verse 37. Eli-Hew, again. For he adds rebellion to his sin. Job adds rebellion to his sin. He claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God. Chapter 35. Now, this is a key verse in this whole entire problem with Job.

Chapter 35, verse 2. Again, Eli-Hew quotes Job. Eli-Hew says, "'Do you think to be right that you say,' Job, you say." Think about Job saying this, "'My righteousness is more than God's.'" Pretty powerful statement and attitude. "'My righteousness is more than God's.'" Chapter 35, verses 6 through 8.

And chapter 35, verses 6 through 8. Where Eli-Hew said, "'If you sin, what do you do against him?' Or, "'Your transgressions be multiplied, what do you unto him?' If you be righteous, what do you give him?' Or, "'What does he receive of your hand?' It goes on to say, "'Your wickedness may hurt a man as you are, somebody else, and your righteousness may profit the Son of Man or somebody else. What we do might hurt another human or help another human, but my righteousness doesn't automatically make God more righteous. My wickedness cannot diminish his righteousness. My wickedness does not take away from him.'" And then in chapter 36 here, 36, verse 26, Eli-Hew is speaking. He says, "'Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.'" How do you quantify God? How do you qualify God? You could qualify Him in the sense of His nature, His character, His righteousness. But how do you wrap your mind around the magnitude of a being who's named all the stars, and we can't even count them? How do you wrap your mind around the magnitude of a God with so many—who knows how many quintillion, zillion of this or that or whatever—it's incomprehensible?

And then beginning with Job 38, God Himself begins to address Job directly.

And so He says here, verses 1-4, "'Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said, "'Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Guard up now your loins like a man, for I will demand of you, and answer you me. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare if you have understanding.'" God begins to have a direct conversation with Job, and God illustrates His power and His goodness and His greatness, and He addresses Job's distance problem.

You know what Job's distance problem was? I'm as good as you, God. And by the way, I'm better. Because I'm not really sinning. I'm doing everything right like I'm supposed to, and I'm not sinning. And look what kind of price I'm paying. I'm being punished, and I mean to the point of death. I don't know why I didn't die, except I guess you just saw to it that I wouldn't die. But I'm not done anything wrong, and look what you're putting on me. I'm as good as you. In fact, I'm better than you because you're wronging me. Basically, God, you're sinning. You're wronging me, and you don't have any justification for doing so. It might be hard for us to comprehend, but that is a depth of self-righteousness that is so deep. If He had been out robbing widows and doing this and that, He would have easily understood certain punishments. But He couldn't grasp because, see, and if He hadn't thought in His mind, well, I'm doing everything right, and I'm good like God is good. He wouldn't have had the issue either. But God addresses Job's distance problem here in chapter 40 and verse 2.

Chapter 40 and verse 2, "...shall he that contends with the Almighty instruct him, he that reproves or corrects God, let him answer it." Now, think about that. He that reproves or corrects God, let him answer it. And then verse 8, "...will you also disannul my judgment?

Will you condemn me that you may be righteous?" And Job finally got it. He finally got it. And therefore, he can be in the resurrection. He can be in the kingdom, which is where God wants him. Job finally got it. "...I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you." This is an expression of magnification.

This is an expression of distance between God and Job. This is an expression of distance between God and Job, of God's goodness and Job's natural makeup. And when his natural makeup also was put under the magnification of Satan's influence and direct effect upon him, his natural makeup, the corruptness, started coming out of the natural makeup. But this is an expression of distance between God and Job, of God's goodness and Job's natural makeup, and this light and realization was truly humbling.

"...wherefore I abhor myself, and repent, and dust, and ashes..." And Job finally realized, and this is something that you and I also must come to realize, Job finally realized there is no chart of goodness big enough for both you and God to be on it together. There is no chart of goodness big enough to get God at the top at the very top, and you or me at the bottom, because the distance between us and God is too great.

And a lot of this goes back to long ago when God created a super angel that thought he was as good as God. In fact, he thought he could run the universe better than God, tried to get all the angels, only got a third, tried to take God's throne, failed, but he was as good as God. In fact, he was better than God. God doesn't want Job or anybody else to turn into another adversary. I've said, and it's hard to convey how fully the realities we're living and dealing with, and why things are the way they are, and why God processes us the way he does, because he wants you and me in the kingdom.

He wants Job in the kingdom. But Job had a problem that even the devil didn't recognize what it was, but God knew, and God had to work that out of him. Now, there is no chart of goodness big enough to get me and God both on the same chart. Ah, there just isn't. Job's case is classic, but there are elements and degrees of it in all of us, folks, and whatever element or degree of it is in us, it has to be dealt with and processed out.

And realizing this distance, guess what it did? It magnified God in Job's eyes. Guess what it did to Job? It did the same thing what happened to Paul. It shrunk Job in his own eyes. Job shrunk and got very tiny in his own eyes. It was humbling. And guess what happens when that happens? What happens when that happens, that humbling allows for the second issue of distance. And that's as close to God in personal relationship with him as you want to be. See, on the magnification of God's goodness in ours, the distance gets wider and wider the more we realize. And it's humbling, and we shrink in our own eyes.

And because we shrink in our own eyes, then we can have closeness to God in personal relationship. Because what does God say? He says in Isaiah 57 verse 15, He says, I dwell with him that is of a poor and contrite spirit. I dwell with him who is of a poor and contrite spirit. That's Isaiah 57 verse 15. And He says in Isaiah 66 verse 2, He says, To this man will I look.

It's interesting. That is, the one distance opens up more, the other distance closes up. You close the distance in your relationship. In personal relationship, you can be as close to God as you want to be. In the magnitude of God, in His righteous character that has no element of iniquity in it whatsoever. You realize more and more, and more deeply and truly how vast that distance is. And in shrinking in your own eyes, it brings you closer and closer to God in the way that really counts.

And that's your personal relationship. Isn't it interesting that as this first distance gets greater, it causes the second one to shorten. And that as this second one shortens, it causes the first one to grow greater. They work in conjunction together. And as we realize God's magnitude and goodness, we're humbled. That feeds and supports a personal relationship of closeness to Him. And as we draw closer to Him in personal relationship, we see more of His goodness and His magnitude.

And that is why in true repentance, in true repentance, the distance to God is in both of these areas together as a fruit and as a proof that you have true repentance operational in you.