Elihu chides Job for his pride and his failure to grasp God’s transcendence.

One of my favorite novels is Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov. In one of the central chapters of the book, one of the brothers, Ivan Karamazov, argues, “If God does not exist, everything is permitted.” The permissiveness of modern American society can scarcely be exaggerated, but it can be traced directly to the fact that modern men and women act as if God does not exist or is powerless to accomplish His will. Furthermore, the church no longer represents the central core of Western civilization. For the most part, the church has been displaced by the reign of secularist, postmodern autonomy.

Elihu counsels Job to allow God to teach him through his suffering and understand His justice and sovereignty.

Attorney, columnist and evangelical Christian David French poignantly observes that it is understood that American elections “could reset our national security strategy, but they did not change our bedrock alliances. They did not change our fundamental identity. Until now.” Donald Trump is upending the entire national security strategy of the United States. His vision is destructive and dangerous. As Wall Street Journal columnist Gerard Baker observes, “Trump’s mendacious contempt for Ukraine and . . . his cringing admiration for Russia and the ‘genius’ in the Kremlin” raise real concerns, but also signify a “new world order,” one that “will come at a steep price.”

In contrast to Job’s three friends, Elihu chastises them and Job as he answers Job’s questions.

Moral and spiritual formation is at the heart of any heathy society. From a biblical perspective, moral and spiritual formation involves at least three dimensions of the human condition that need development and shaping. God’s Word, the Holy Spirit and the encouragement and edification that comes from being with likeminded believers shape the heart (being kind, considerate, generous), the mind (being curious, open-minded, having good judgment) and the will (self-control, determination courage).

God’s Word warns against “the wisdom of this world” (1 Corinthians 1:20-25) and “things that are seen” (2 Corinthians 4:18): In other words, the dominant ideas and commitments of a world in rebellion against God. As Christians we often struggle with the best way to organize human society according to human nature. What is our vision of human nature and what is the best government to adapt to that nature? In trying to answer those questions, Western Civilization has been shaped by three primary characteristics that have characterized the last 400 years

Job presents his final appeal and rests his case with his three friends and with God.

When President Trump was running for a second term in 2024, he promised to end the Ukraine war “in 24 hours.” Of course, that did not happen, but now we are seeing how he seeks to end this atrocious war, now over 3 years old. As the Wall Street Journal editorially observed, Trump’s plan is a “tilt toward a Ukraine sellout.” As a student of history, I believe it also ignores one of the profound lessons of history from the 1930s in Europe.

In our democratic-republic in America, there are three branches of the federal government. In the brilliance of the design articulated by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, all three of whom wrote The Federalist, these three branches are to form a checks and balance system without the national government. The judicial branch interprets the Constitution as cases are brought before it. There are federal District Courts, Courts of Appeals and then of course the Supreme Court. The founders argued forcefully for an independent judiciary.