Blameless and Upright

 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.
Job 1:1
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Blameless and Upright
Job is most often remembered for his patience in the midst of suffering.  Yet at the very beginning of the book which bears his name, he is described as “blameless and upright.”  Job was a real man, his account is an actual event which happened in history.  Knowing this we then know Job is also sinful.  Can a sinful person also be “blameless and upright”?  The answer is yes.  Job knows he is a sinner and readily admits to it. To be “blameless and upright” simply means to possess personal integrity or piousness.
Piety and a desire to follow God’s will are certainly commendable attributes to possess, and in fact should be sought after, yet they are not remedies for the disease of sin.  Too often in this life we try to justify ourselves before God.  We question God’s motives and His will for our lives.  We turn inward for answers as opposed to turning towards God in faith.  For it is only with eyes of faith that we are able to see the One who is truly blameless and upright before God is Christ.  It is Jesus, who lived the perfect life according to the Father’s will.  It is Jesus, who’s perfect life and subsequent death, made it possible for us to stand before God as blameless and upright.  For it is not our righteousness which merits us salvation but that of Jesus, who gives us His righteousness in exchange for our sin.  And it is clothed in His righteousness through our Baptism where we are able to be one who “fear[s] God and turn[s] away from evil.”