It's Not Fair!

Life isn't fair.  And I am so glad it isn't!  Does that statement surprise you, even shock you?  Well maybe that is because I know something you don't.  I know three things.  One, is that life is not just the number of days we spend on this earth; two, I don't want what I deserve; and three, that which is to come is beyond what we now see.

We must first have a working definition of life.  To most life is merely the time period between birth and death.  That, however, is not the sum total of our existence.  You see, we are spiritual beings inside this flesh and as such, our life extends beyond the physical.  So we come to find out that there is not one, but two deaths.

 It is true that our bodies are destined to perish with time.  This was not the original intent, but rather, the curse of decay was a result of the first humans sin.  Our infinite wise creator could not do otherwise.    But because He is also love, He made a way for us to be brought back to Him.  Not in our current flesh.  That was impossible.  Instead, it is our spirits that are born again and will either live for eternity or be consigned to eternal damnation, the second death.  "Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years." (Revelation 20:6)  "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)

I deserve this second death as much as the next guy or gal.  My only hope to escape it is the grace of God.  And so, I do not want life to be fair.  "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)  "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. " (John 3:16-17)  "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them." (John 3:36)  “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life." (John 5:24)  "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ² in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³ All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. ⁴ But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶ And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷ in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:1-9)


The last reason I am glad that life is not fair is because we see only a shadow now.  "The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves." (Hebrews 10:1)  "They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven." (Hebrews 8:5)  "These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ." (Colossians 2:17)  Those who live for now receive their reward, but their reward is but a shadow.
However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen,
    what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”—
    the things God has prepared for those who love him— (1 Corinthians 2:9)

 

 

A shadow or the real thing...which would you prefer?  Would not it be better to forgo  a lesser treasure now, for a far greater one later?  Or has our society forgotten what delayed gratification means?  "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." ( 2 Corinthians 4:17)  "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)  As for me...I think I will take the latter.  "You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." (Psalm 16:11)

 

No, life isn't fair.  At least not how we define it.  And praise be to God it is not!  Make no mistake, God is just.  He will make all things right.  But the life to come will be far greater than what I see now and definitely greater than what I deserve.  Thanks be to the grace of God in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!