Is God Fair? Part 2

Wow, who would believe that there could be such strong difference of opinion about such a little question? However, if we can hang in here I believe there is certainly some growing room for all of us. That is of course the goal of discipleship, that we grow up into mature believers strong in the faith. As we grow in Christ, we must do as Paul admonishes Timothy in 2 Tmothy 2:15:

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

Truth shouldn’t bring division in the body of Christ but should liberate us and give us freedom. This is what the Bible says this in John 8:32

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

Then in John 13:35 Jesus says,

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

Therefore tonight I want to be sure that I respond in a way that promotes unity in our body. You see,

Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.
Proverbs 13:10

When this question was asked last Wednesday evening I responded quickly because I have thought through this issue before. I felt ready to give an answer that was based on experience. In response to the question, “Is God fair?” I said, “No, He is not fair. but He is just and holy and right.” To many, I’m sure that seemed like a contradiction, because of the difference in the way we were interpreting the word, fair.

I want to make it clear, that neither I nor any others in leadership here at Christian Fellowship believe that God is unjust, or faulty in any way. He is Absolute Perfection.

Therefore, many could not be comfortable saying that he is unfair, because that would attribute a negative quality to our perfectly holy God.

Since I have already given a personal perspective on my blog www.newconnection.blogspot.com , therefore I don’t intend here to try to make any further defense of that position. Unfortunately, believing I was entirely justified to do so, I dug in my heals without yielding and entered into debate. Now, I hope that you will allow me to answer again, from a perspective that has been broadened through reflection during this week.

I want to respond to this question again, “Is God fair?” heading the admonition of Paul to the church at Ephesus, In Ephesians 4:1-3:

¹As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. ²Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Instead of answering this soley from my perspective, I want to try to look at the question from two other perspectives. One of those is one quite worthy of respect because it belongs to many of my brothers and fellow laborers in the Lord, and the other which is probably most important of all is God’s perspective.

First, those who responded so quickly, “Yes, God is fair.” From this perspective, unfairness is negative and imperfect; therefore, it could not be associated with our perfect and holy God. Hey, if you put it that way, nobody could argue against that. He must therefore be fair, if fair is a positive quality.

Next there is God’s perspective. Let me predicate my puny effort to look at this question from His perspective by saying, that it is impossible for me to fully comprehend His perspective. However, I believe that everything God does is fair from His perspective, and if we could fully see every situation from that lofty height and understand His divine reasons for all that He does, then we would comprehend that He is entirely fair. As it is, we cannot comprehend, and therefore must only trust and believe that our God, Who is completely Just, Holy, Right, and Perfect in every way, also knows why what he does is also absolutely equal and fair. His divine knowledge is the equalizer that makes all things equal from His lofty height.

Human reason quickly responds, “No, God is not fair; everyone is not treated the same. Some have more advantages than others.” Divine Wisdom responds, “If only you knew.”