That's Not Fair!

With 3 kids – ages 13, 10 and almost 4 – my wife Jessie and I hear, “That’s not fair,” quite a bit more than we’d like to.  Often the cry of “That’s not fair,” has to do with the chores that our kids are expected to do.  I know, I know, we’re so draconian in our parenting.  Sometimes it has to do with fun things that one gets to do while the other two don’t. 

I get it.  My brain is definitely wired to see the world in the solid colors of black and white, and not shades of gray.  I often see things as being fair or unfair, right or wrong, and good or bad.  I believe that the Bible is the infallible Word of God and that it’s as true and authoritative today for all matters of life and faith as it was when it was written.  I know that in our culture today that puts me in a small minority, and I’m good with that.  I am far more concerned with being faithful to all of God’s Word than I am about what other people think about me.

In today’s reading from John 3, we come to some of the truth claims of Jesus that often lead to complaints of, “That’s not fair.”  John 3:16 begins by saying, “For God so loved the world . . .” and John 3:17 begins with, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world.”  Not too many people – even the biggest skeptics or critics of the Christian faith – have a problem with that.  Most people can get on board with the idea of a God who is full of love for the world, and a Savior that didn’t come to condemn the world.

But what doesn’t seem fair to many people are the words that follow in those verses.  John 3:16 concludes with, “ . . . that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:17 ends with, “. . . but to save the world through him.”  There are other things that don’t seem fair that follow in rapid succession:

“ . . . whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”  - v. 18b

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” – v.19

“Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.”   - v.20

Some see this as Jesus throwing down the gauntlet and being a big old meanie pants.  How can Jesus say that he loves the world and yet at the same time say that some will be condemned by not believing in Him?  How can Jesus say that some people will continue to love the darkness and continue their evil deeds if He’s as loving as He says He is?  That’s not fair!

And these people are right.  It’s not fair!  And that’s because grace isn’t fair.  Fairness is about getting what we deserve based on what we’ve done.  Grace is about getting something far better than what we deserve.  Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.”   This is grace!  Jesus is grace!

Jesus isn’t throwing down the gauntlet.  He’s throwing the doors of the Kingdom of Heaven to anybody that confesses that He is the Son of God and has come into the world to save the world.  He’s throwing open the floodgates of grace and mercy to those who would call on his name and turn from sin and the condemnation that our sin brings.  He’s throwing open the gates of eternal life and has paid the ransom for our sin through his death on the cross. 

We can reject it or receive it.  We can believe it or not believe it.  We can rejoice in it or hate it.  But there’s no middle ground when it comes to what Jesus said about how we’re made right with God and how we receive eternal life in heaven.

As we look at the entire testimony about Jesus in the Gospels we see what grace looks like.  We see that the grace and truth of Jesus reached into some of the darkest and most hopeless of lives.  He loved and healed and transformed people afflicted with physical ailments who were the dregs of society.  He loved and healed and transformed people who were caught in terrible sin and shame.  He loved and healed and transformed people who had rejected God their entire lives. 

Believing the truth of God’s Word and the truth claims of Jesus isn’t for proud and arrogant people.  It’s for people who are humble enough to realize that without Jesus, we have no hope of anything in this world and in eternity.  It’s for people who are desperate enough to realize their need for a Savior who loves extravagantly and deals in grace, not fairness. 

I’m glad that God’s not fair in how he deals with us.  If he was, he would have destroyed me long ago and would have many reasons every day to destroy me.  I’m humbled and grateful for the grace that he’s extended to the entire world through His Son, Jesus Christ.  I hope you are too and that it makes all the difference in your life.