It often seems as though all of the things which really taste good are bad for you. I love ice cream, but it's not on the health food list. Neither is peach cobbler, barbequed ribs, or fresh cinnamon rolls covered with melted butter. But you can eat all the raw celery and spinach that you want. My grandson is openly not a fan of either and, secretly, neither am I. But they are good for you, so I have been told. Even eggs can be eaten in abundance as long as you delete the yolks. (Yuk!) I'd rather not eat an egg if I have to eat only the white of it. It has no color and no taste of its own. Unless a lot of seasoning is added, it is useless for food as far as I am concerned. When I was a kid and had to eat a boiled egg, I always discarded the white part. The thought of eating it by itself does not stir my gastronomic desires even now.
Job was laid low under the chastening hand of GOD and made acquainted with his own inability. This is a common destination to which the LORD is pleased to bring all of HIS sons as HE works in them the grace of repentance. (see Job 42:5,6; Luke 18:13) By nature men think themselves quite able to do any thing that they can think of. It is quite common for the religious nature of men to be stirred up and cajoled into "serving" GOD according to the dictates of whatever religion they choose to adopt. Usually whatever they were born into. Some call themselves Buddhists, some Muslims, some Jews, Hindus, etc. and some even call themselves Christians. These same people are stirred up to different levels of devotion and commitment according to the dictates of their religious traditions, the fervency of those whose teaching they submit themselves to, and the level of dogmatism that they find themselves comfortable with. Some like to get down and dirty and others prefer a more refined approach to the pursuit of "spirituality". Generally, the economic status that men have is reflected to some degree in the fervency and tenaciousness (some call it fanaticism) with which they pursue their "quest" for "truth". Those of high rank generally shun the more open displays of extremism in favor of a "higher plane" replete with the trappings of "success" and "moderation", while those of lower "caste" seek to use their religion as a substitute for the worldly success they feel themselves to have missed out on through what they feel is no fault of their own.
Regardless of what religion is chosen or to what degree it is pursued, all of man's religion is but a work of the flesh and has no lasting value beyond the present life, even though all of it is supposedly designed to prepare its adherents for the life to come. All of the religion of men is dependent on the freewill and ability of men to obey or accept its precepts in order for it to be useful. Whether one calls himself a Hindu or a Pentecostal, a Baptist or a Muslim, they are taught that they must adopt and follow certain guidelines and obey certain requirements or it profits them nothing. So there is an underlying foundation which is built on the concept that men are able (and can be taught) to willingly obey the teaching of whichever religion an individual chooses to follow. In this, all of the religions of men are the same regardless of their other variations or how vociferously they may try to differentiate themselves from other religions by their dogmas and traditions. According to them all men possess some spiritual ability.
This explains the shock that must have gripped the woman at the well when she compared her religious traditions to those of the Jews and received this answer from the LORD, "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." (John 4:23-24) No doubt the same consternation filled the mind of Nicodemus when the LORD told him, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3) One can plainly see why the Pharisees hated HIM as HE told them, "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. I receive not honor from men." (John 5:39-41) The LORD JESUS CHRIST laid the axe firmly to the root of all of man's religiosity and destroyed the supposition that it was possible through the will and ability which men naturally possess, to truly be aquainted with the true and living GOD. Apart from a supernatural work of GOD in a man, that man can in no wise possess any ability to grasp or to come to any knowledge of GOD. When Peter made his confession of who he thought the LORD JESUS was, the LORD told him, "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." (Mat 16:17) John describes those who have received HIM as those "Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:13)
So all men in their natural state are as "the white of an egg", possessing nothing of value that could render any aid to themselves in fleeing the wrath that is to come. Job laments his own condition before the LORD in comparing his own ability to even stir himself up to be concerned about his pitiful condition wherein he could find no comfort in himself nor anything that men could do for him. (see Job 6:1-18) If the LORD is not pleased in HIS sovereign mercy to open a man's eyes to see HIM as the LORD of glory and to give HIM grace to flee unto that ONE who is "a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land"(Isa 32:2), then that man shall perish in his sin without help or hope.
The LORD JESUS CHRIST has accomplished all that is necessary to redeem HIS people and deliver them from any and all condemnation. They can add nothing to what HE has done for them by "believing" or "receiving" what HE has done. They believe what HE has done for them because HE has purchased them by HIS own blood and has given them the glorious gift of faith to rejoice in HIS imputed righteousness. They "receive" HIM because HE has received them and changed their mind, heart, and will to embrace HIS LORDSHIP. Like the "white of an egg" they are nothing in and of themselves, except that which HE has added to them. They are savored in the kingdom of Heaven solely because of that which HE has wrought in their behalf. The children of GOD have hope because HE has given it to them. They are set free from the law of sin and death because HE has broken those chains. They shall never perish because HE has given them eternal life. "For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? " (1Cor. 4:7)
mam