When we consider the concept of fairness, we often think about getting what we deserve. Fairness in human terms means that everyone receives exactly what they have earned—nothing more, nothing less. But when we apply this idea to our spiritual lives, the thought of fairness becomes terrifying. The Bible tells us in Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." If God were to be fair and give us what we deserve, none of us could stand before Him. We would all be condemned to the lake of fire, "where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched" (Mark 9:44).
Yet, God, in His infinite mercy, chose not to deal with us according to fairness. Instead, He offers us something far greater—grace. Grace is the unmerited favor of God. It is the gift that we could never earn, no matter how hard we tried. As Ephesians 2:8-9 reminds us, our salvation is not the result of our works or our righteousness. It is solely the result of God's grace.
If grace were fair, it would no longer be grace. Grace goes beyond fairness; it gives us what we do not deserve—eternal life in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:23 tells us, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." What we have earned, what is fair, is death. But God, in His grace, offers us life.
Consider the parable of the workers in the vineyard in Matthew 20:1-16. The workers who labored all day received the same wages as those who worked only one hour. The first workers grumbled because it didn't seem fair. But the master of the vineyard asked, "Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?" (Matthew 20:15). The master’s generosity wasn’t about fairness; it was about grace.
In the same way, God’s grace is not about fairness. It is about His goodness, His love, and His desire to save us despite our unworthiness. If God were to deal with us fairly, according to what our sins deserve, we would have no hope. But because of His grace, we have been offered the chance to escape the punishment we deserve and instead receive the gift of eternal life.
Let us be thankful every day that God’s grace is not fair. Let us remember that it is only through His grace that we stand redeemed. And let us extend that same grace to others, knowing that we are all recipients of a mercy we could never earn.
Grace surpasses all,
Where fairness leads to despair,
Mercy steps in place.
Condemned we should be,
Yet Christ offers life instead,
Unearned, undeserved.
Fairness dooms to flames,
But grace grants eternal hope,
In God's love we trust.
Comments
Post a Comment