Bootstrap
Is it Fair?

     The bible teaches that God chose a people and that He gave those people to His Son. It also teaches that He came into the world to live and die for those people. The Bible doesn't teach anywhere that Christ died for everyone. Whenever this truth is proclaimed, we hear this cry. "It's not fair for God not to give everyone the same chance, to not make the death and blood of Christ 'available' for everyone!" Salvation is not based upon fairness or chance, but upon justice.

     God's justice demands that He punish sin (Heb. 1:13; Ezek. 18:4). The eternal, immutable God of heaven and earth made a way whereby He could punish sin and at the same time save the sinner. He made a way where He could be a just God and also be a Saviour. How? By Christ, the Lamb of God! Christ our Lord willingly came into this world to become a sacrifice for sin. He lived under God's holy law and rendered perfect obedience to it; which you or I could never do. Christ offered Himself up as a sin-offering for those God had given Him. As the sinner's Substitute, God made Him to be sin (Who knew no sin), that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (1Cor. 5:21).

     What does this mean? It means that Christ willingly suffered the penalty of sin, He willingly took the place of His people and became what they were and are in God's sight, sinners, deserving of hell and judgment. When He took His people's place, God punished Him and forsook Him there on the cross. But after our Lord was taken down and put in the tomb, on the third morning He arose!

     What does this mean? It means that God's justice was satisfied with His sacrifice. That sin was put away once for all (Heb. 9:26) and that God could now justly save sinners who believe on His Son. Now as to the question of fairness - if my sin was laid upon Christ and He suffered for them - would it be fair for God to punish me for them also? No! He is a Just God. He can't punish sin twice. What is fair about Christ dying for my sin and me also dying for them? Would He accept the precious blood of His Son as payment for my sins and then require me to pay for them too? No, of course not. "Who art thou O man, that replies against God?" (Romans 9:20).

Topics: Church Bulletin Articles
Views: 60