Where is the grace of God in an unfair world?
A complaint hurled against God is that human life on this earth is unfair. Of course, earthly life is unfair. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom.3:23); therefore human individuals and institutions will experience sinful and unfair qualities.
Resentment toward God has prompted the vocal resurgence of atheism. "The atheist is one who, having stubbed his toe against evil, will not forgive God."-Clinton McClemore. But atheists and Christians alike are sickened by the injustices of life.
Even secular proverbs convey disgust for the misery of this present world: "Laugh and the world laughs with you; Cry and you cry alone." And: "In this world you will earn false friends and true enemies."
The Bible frequently bears witness to the unfairness of earthly life---and the fact that some wicked, godless people can experience much satisfaction on this earth. The Psalmist cried out for deliverance “from men by your hand, O Lord, from men of the world whose portion is in this life.”(Ps.17:14a)-- ESV
Various wicked persons do not merely seem to prosper, they actually do prosper. "I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked" (Ps.73:3). See also Ps.10:2-13; Job 21. Job saw first hand the earthly sufferings of the righteous and the happy existence of the ungodly.
Ecclesiastes speaks at length about the unfairness of earthly existence. Consider the words of Eccles.3:16- "Moreover I saw under the sun that in the place of justice—even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness.” Read Eccles.4:1-2; 7:17; 8:14; 9:11-12. Eccles.10:6a asserts that “folly is set in many high places.”
Maybe you have read about legal decisions which strike you as unfair, even stupid. Maybe you have observed certain individuals receiving promotions or attention they are unworthy of. Perhaps you have seen hard-working Christians who struggle throughout the course of life while selfish, abrasive persons 'get all the breaks' and have no struggles at all.
Where is the grace of God in all this? To put it another way: Why do bad people flourish in this unfair world while some God-fearing persons get dumped on?
For one thing: Christians are not promised a fair and easy life on this side of heaven. Christians have been and will be persecuted for loyalty to Jesus Christ (Matt.5:11-12; Luke 6:22-23; John 15:18-20; Acts 4:33-41; 7:51-60; Phil.1:27-29; 2 Tim.3:12; 1 Pet.4:12-16; 5:8-9; Rev.1:9).
Secondly, we Christians are to labor for justice and righteousness in our relationships and in society (see Ps.82:3-4; Prov.24:23-25; 28:24; Amos 5:23-24; Micah 6:8). We are to be children of light in this dark world (Matt.5:14-16; Eph.5:8-10); however, we also know that human individuals and organizations will be characterized by periods of gross injustice until Jesus returns (Ps.36:1-2; Prov. 27:22; Is.59:4-15).
[A side note: If you despise fellow Christians and mistreat your neighbors, you are simply contributing to the misery of this present world.]
Furthermore, we are assured that God, through Christ, will reward and bless His servants in the life to come (2 Thess.1:3-7). This will take place because of the Sovereign Plan of a gracious God, not because any individual deserves to be rewarded by God (see Eph.2:1-9).
Jesus, in Luke 16:19-31, told a parable involving a rich man in hell and Lazarus with Abraham in paradise. At one point in the parable, Abraham told the rich man: "Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish" (Luke 16:25). Those who spurn the gospel of Christ throughout their life on earth will be negatively evaluated in the life to come. The tables will be turned, not by virtue of any human sense of fairness, but because of Divine grace toward Christ’s people.
Study 2 Pet.2:4-22 and Jude 14-16. Ungodly people will be punished at Christ's return. No amount of human scheming or manipulation or threats will prevent that from happening.
One mistake made by numerous Christians is the assumption that life on this sin-torn planet should be fair right now. Yet, if human sinners are involved in the mix, why is there such a stubborn belief that human existence ought to be fair? If individual humans are sinners, then why should entire societies of sinners be expected to function in a sinless manner?
Another mistake: To evaluate your personal worth on the basis of your present standing or condition in this life. Possibly, several readers are struggling with a sense of personal worth: You may feel overlooked and unappreciated by your coworkers, colleagues, neighbors and even by most church members; you are convinced most human beings give you little acceptance or respect; you have very few close friends. But, these conditions---and your feelings---are not the final word on the subject.
Jesus told His disciples: "Even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows" (Matt.10:30-31). He also told them: "Fear not, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32). We Christians are of value to God because it pleases God to assign value to us. And: What this world thinks is less important than what God knows.
Furthermore, contemplate what Jesus went through. Jesus came to a sinful planet, He was born of a virgin and lived a sinless life, then was betrayed and abandoned. He experienced the worst of human unfairness and injustice, being subjected to death on a Cross. He endured agonizing separation from God the Father (Matt.27:45-46), so that human sinners could be saved. From a human standpoint, the gospel of Christ was the most unfair scheme ever concocted, but this was the Plan of God for the salvation of sinners. "Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God" (1 Pet.3:18a).
That’s grace.
Because of Who Jesus is and what He has achieved, we are united to a destiny established by Divine love. In Rom.8:38-39, Paul wrote: "Neither death nor life...will separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord." The worst things of this life---the unfairness of life---cannot overcome the eternal grace and love of God through Jesus Christ.
We Christians acknowledge God as the Source of every benefit that we have received in this life (1 Tim.6:17; James 1:17); therefore, we celebrate the grace of God now in an unfair world. We worship God presently because God is worthy of our worship (Rev.4). That means: If fallible human beings pay no attention to you, the infallible and loving God is nevertheless entitled to your worship of Him.
In your worship of God, in your relationship to God, may you truthfully pray the words of Ps.63:3- "Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You."
A complaint hurled against God is that human life on this earth is unfair. Of course, earthly life is unfair. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom.3:23); therefore human individuals and institutions will experience sinful and unfair qualities.
Resentment toward God has prompted the vocal resurgence of atheism. "The atheist is one who, having stubbed his toe against evil, will not forgive God."-Clinton McClemore. But atheists and Christians alike are sickened by the injustices of life.
Even secular proverbs convey disgust for the misery of this present world: "Laugh and the world laughs with you; Cry and you cry alone." And: "In this world you will earn false friends and true enemies."
The Bible frequently bears witness to the unfairness of earthly life---and the fact that some wicked, godless people can experience much satisfaction on this earth. The Psalmist cried out for deliverance “from men by your hand, O Lord, from men of the world whose portion is in this life.”(Ps.17:14a)-- ESV
Various wicked persons do not merely seem to prosper, they actually do prosper. "I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked" (Ps.73:3). See also Ps.10:2-13; Job 21. Job saw first hand the earthly sufferings of the righteous and the happy existence of the ungodly.
Ecclesiastes speaks at length about the unfairness of earthly existence. Consider the words of Eccles.3:16- "Moreover I saw under the sun that in the place of justice—even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness.” Read Eccles.4:1-2; 7:17; 8:14; 9:11-12. Eccles.10:6a asserts that “folly is set in many high places.”
Maybe you have read about legal decisions which strike you as unfair, even stupid. Maybe you have observed certain individuals receiving promotions or attention they are unworthy of. Perhaps you have seen hard-working Christians who struggle throughout the course of life while selfish, abrasive persons 'get all the breaks' and have no struggles at all.
Where is the grace of God in all this? To put it another way: Why do bad people flourish in this unfair world while some God-fearing persons get dumped on?
For one thing: Christians are not promised a fair and easy life on this side of heaven. Christians have been and will be persecuted for loyalty to Jesus Christ (Matt.5:11-12; Luke 6:22-23; John 15:18-20; Acts 4:33-41; 7:51-60; Phil.1:27-29; 2 Tim.3:12; 1 Pet.4:12-16; 5:8-9; Rev.1:9).
Secondly, we Christians are to labor for justice and righteousness in our relationships and in society (see Ps.82:3-4; Prov.24:23-25; 28:24; Amos 5:23-24; Micah 6:8). We are to be children of light in this dark world (Matt.5:14-16; Eph.5:8-10); however, we also know that human individuals and organizations will be characterized by periods of gross injustice until Jesus returns (Ps.36:1-2; Prov. 27:22; Is.59:4-15).
[A side note: If you despise fellow Christians and mistreat your neighbors, you are simply contributing to the misery of this present world.]
Furthermore, we are assured that God, through Christ, will reward and bless His servants in the life to come (2 Thess.1:3-7). This will take place because of the Sovereign Plan of a gracious God, not because any individual deserves to be rewarded by God (see Eph.2:1-9).
Jesus, in Luke 16:19-31, told a parable involving a rich man in hell and Lazarus with Abraham in paradise. At one point in the parable, Abraham told the rich man: "Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish" (Luke 16:25). Those who spurn the gospel of Christ throughout their life on earth will be negatively evaluated in the life to come. The tables will be turned, not by virtue of any human sense of fairness, but because of Divine grace toward Christ’s people.
Study 2 Pet.2:4-22 and Jude 14-16. Ungodly people will be punished at Christ's return. No amount of human scheming or manipulation or threats will prevent that from happening.
One mistake made by numerous Christians is the assumption that life on this sin-torn planet should be fair right now. Yet, if human sinners are involved in the mix, why is there such a stubborn belief that human existence ought to be fair? If individual humans are sinners, then why should entire societies of sinners be expected to function in a sinless manner?
Another mistake: To evaluate your personal worth on the basis of your present standing or condition in this life. Possibly, several readers are struggling with a sense of personal worth: You may feel overlooked and unappreciated by your coworkers, colleagues, neighbors and even by most church members; you are convinced most human beings give you little acceptance or respect; you have very few close friends. But, these conditions---and your feelings---are not the final word on the subject.
Jesus told His disciples: "Even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows" (Matt.10:30-31). He also told them: "Fear not, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32). We Christians are of value to God because it pleases God to assign value to us. And: What this world thinks is less important than what God knows.
Furthermore, contemplate what Jesus went through. Jesus came to a sinful planet, He was born of a virgin and lived a sinless life, then was betrayed and abandoned. He experienced the worst of human unfairness and injustice, being subjected to death on a Cross. He endured agonizing separation from God the Father (Matt.27:45-46), so that human sinners could be saved. From a human standpoint, the gospel of Christ was the most unfair scheme ever concocted, but this was the Plan of God for the salvation of sinners. "Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God" (1 Pet.3:18a).
That’s grace.
Because of Who Jesus is and what He has achieved, we are united to a destiny established by Divine love. In Rom.8:38-39, Paul wrote: "Neither death nor life...will separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord." The worst things of this life---the unfairness of life---cannot overcome the eternal grace and love of God through Jesus Christ.
We Christians acknowledge God as the Source of every benefit that we have received in this life (1 Tim.6:17; James 1:17); therefore, we celebrate the grace of God now in an unfair world. We worship God presently because God is worthy of our worship (Rev.4). That means: If fallible human beings pay no attention to you, the infallible and loving God is nevertheless entitled to your worship of Him.
In your worship of God, in your relationship to God, may you truthfully pray the words of Ps.63:3- "Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You."