How can Job 13:12 guide us in evaluating advice against Scripture? Job 13:12 in Focus “Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay.” Why Job Rejected His Friends’ Counsel • Their sayings were empty, lacking the weight of God’s revealed truth. • Their arguments looked strong but crumbled when measured against God’s character and Job’s lived obedience. • Job held fast to what the LORD had already revealed; anything conflicting with that revelation was dismissed. Guiding Principles for Testing Advice Today • Start with Scripture as the infallible, literal standard; everything else is secondary (2 Timothy 3:16-17). • Examine motives: does the counsel aim to glorify God or elevate human opinion? • Look for consistency with God’s nature—holy, just, loving, sovereign (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17). • Weigh outcomes: will following this advice foster obedience, purity, and faith (John 14:15)? Practical Checklist 1. Read the passage the advice claims to reflect—word for word. 2. Compare Scripture with Scripture; let clear passages interpret difficult ones (Acts 17:11). 3. Pray for illumination by the Spirit (Psalm 119:18). 4. Seek multiple godly witnesses; confirmed counsel is harder to dismiss (Proverbs 11:14). 5. Observe the fruit: righteous advice yields righteous living (Matthew 7:17-18). Supporting Texts • 1 Thessalonians 5:21 “Test all things. Hold fast to what is good.” • Proverbs 30:5 “Every word of God is flawless.” • Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active…” • Psalm 19:7 “The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul.” Living It Out • Treat every conversation, sermon, article, or social-media post as “possibly clay.” • Immediately filter advice through the unchanging Word. • Discard anything that contradicts Scripture—no matter how persuasive or popular. • Stand confident: when your trust rests on God’s Word, your “defenses” are rock, not dust. |
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