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That’s Not Fair!
One of the biggest complaints non-believers have about Christianity is how “unfair” it is that God throws people into Hell who, in the observer’s eyes, seem like “nice” people.
After all, these people aren’t murderers, adulterers, thieves, wife-beaters, drug users or any of a long list of unsavory types. Yet God sees fit to toss into the abyss anyone who has not accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
“That’s not fair!” they exclaim.
In their eyes, that upstanding next-door neighbor, or that decent lady who teaches their son’s second-grade class at school, definitely merits a place in Glory for not finding themselves in Paul’s list of those who will not eventually make their way into heaven:
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9–10
The trouble with this way of thinking is that the wrong standard is being applied.
As one of my pastors said recently: “God does not grade on a ‘curve’!” He demands absolute perfection… a bar we weak humans can never reach on our own, no matter how “good” we may appear to ourselves.
And besides: where does the concept of “fairness” ultimately come from, anyway? Nowhere but the mind, hand and mouth of our God, from which all truth, good and righteousness flow.
What’s “fair”:
What’s “fair” is that all sin be judged completely and immediately.
If sin was indeed handled in that way, and true justice was executed, none of us would even be here.
When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden, God would have immediately blasted them into Hell, and sent the Earth and the rest of the universe back into non-existence. Then He would have rolled up the red carpet of creation and stuffed it back into the infinite fount from which it sprang, regretting the very idea of making man and allowing him to have a free will.
Isn’t it amazing that God does not pass summary judgment on our sins, and is instead long-suffering and patient, desiring that we ultimately heed the Spirit’s conviction and come to repentance? This distinctive, called grace, separates Christianity from every other religion mankind has ever embraced.
What’s (really!) “not fair”:
Going back to the Garden: what’s not fair is that God, instead of instantly condemning sin, made a way for man to reconcile himself back to God… something which He did NOT have to do.
Further, this means of reconciliation required Jesus, His only begotten Son, whom He loved very much, to give up His place in Glory, at the Father’s right hand, to come down here and live a sinless life.
Jesus’ reward for doing this? An agonizing death by being nailed to a cross, after being whipped mercilessly all night and convicted on trumped-up charges at an illegal trial. He became sin (ironic, for one who never knew sin) long enough for the Father to pour out judgment on Him so that every human, from that day forward, has a path to redemption.
It says much of our Lord that He agreed to do this before time ever began or the universe was ever created. He knew going in that mankind was going to screw up this Creation thing and would need a way out from instant and eternal damnation.
Jesus volunteered to trade in His infinite glory to take on the limited existence of a vulnerable human, to live the life we should have lived… and die the death we should have died.
Again: Jesus, too, did not have to do this.
In yet another wildly unequal proposition, Jesus offers to exchange our sin-soaked and wretched record before God for His righteousness, so that we may not receive the penalty which our disobedience and imperfection demand.
Oh, the unfairness of it all!
And yet… literally… THANK GOD for it!
But wait… there’s MORE!
You know what else is not fair?
- That we live for one second beyond this moment, because it allows us the opportunity to sin and further offend God. Our hearts beat and our lungs draw breath, sustained by Him, despite His knowing full well that we will continue to “blow it” by veering from the path He has set for us.
- That we receive from Him any food, clothing, shelter or manner of provision to sustain and complement our lives. It is only because He loves us that He is ready and willing to do all these good things, which come to Him as easily as uttering the word.
- That sinful man, instead of acknowledging Him as creator and sustainer, denies Him and mocks His name. The sheer ingratitude of this is staggering, considering the infinite Being on the other end, who created the entire universe out of nothing, and everything in it. He brought mankind onto the scene and gave him a place of honor in the created order. His recompense for doing this? Instead of receiving glory, thanks and appreciation, He is ignored and disobeyed, while scorn and rejection are heaped upon Him.
So the next time someone accuses Christianity of being so grossly unfair, I would recommend responding with a simple two-word question.
“To whom?”
By Ellsworth Johnson
Ellsworth Johnson is a retired software engineer and high school math teacher. He came to faith in Jesus Christ in 1992, following the full, complete recovery from a brain aneurysm which should have killed him. Having lived in America’s largest cities (New York, Los Angeles, Houston), he now calls Lansing, Michigan home. Divorced, he has one son, Joshua, a junior in college, majoring in mathematics.
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“I am grateful to all my guest bloggers for their reflections offered in love and sincerity. While the views expressed are the author’s own, I pray they encourage thoughtful dialogue and spiritual growth.” Patti
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