"Truly I know it is so, but how can a man be righteous before God? If one wished to contend with Him, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand. God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?" (Job 9:2-4) Job was going through many different trials; the fact that he didn't understand why caused him to ask numerous questions. Aloud, Job wondered who could stand before God righteous. It's a good question, and the Bible contains the answer.

Sin separates us from God. "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear." (Isaiah 59:1,2) According to Paul, the wages of sin "is death," (Romans 6:23). Since all have sinned, and none are righteous (Romans 3:23; 3:10-12), we must conclude that unless we find a remedy for our sins, we can never stand before God in a righteous state. Is there such a remedy?

Animal blood could not provide the remedy. "But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins." (Hebrews 10:3,4) Yes, the animal sacrifices supplied forgiveness. Else, why would God require the Jews to offer them? But the sacrifices did not eliminate condemnation for sin. "But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith." (Galatians 3:23,24) Moses' law was preparing mankind and leading him to true justification under the law of Christ.

Christ's blood is the divine remedy. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him." (Romans 5:8,9) To be justified means to be made right or to be acquitted. Christ's blood provided a divine covering, or atonement, for our sins (Romans 3:25,26; 1 John 1:1,2). Through His blood, we can gain redemption and remission of sins (Ephesians 1:7). The Law showed us, and the Hebrews writer clearly told us, that without blood, "there is no remission." (Hebrews 9:22)

Christ's death on Calvary's cross provided the answer to Job's question. God had all this worked out before He created the heavens and the earth (Ephesians 1:4; 3:8-11). We thank Him for His wonderful plan. Even though I commit sins, because of Christ's blood, on Judgment Day, I will be able to confidently stand before God in a acquitted and righteous state. God did for us what we could never have done for ourselves-He provided us with salvation!