God Isn’t Fair, He Is Just (Part 2)

[ Preached by Pastor Kenneth Chin at Acts Church Malaysia on 22 January 2017 ]

In part one of this article, we talked about how “fairness” will change as the world changes, but “justice” will never change.

And in the continuation of this message, we will talk about the difference between “fairness” and “justice“.

What does it means to sacrifice unto God? Paying your way to go for missions is not a sacrifice. Neither is giving your tithes to God. It is not a sacrifice when you are simply doing your duty. 

Read | Luke 17:7-10

Jesus said the master did not thank the servants for doing their duty. He says, “So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’”

If Jesus went to the Cross to die for His own sins, would you consider that a sacrifice? On the other hand, would you call it fair for an innocent man to be punished for the sins of others?

If God had been “fair”, He would not have sent Jesus to die for our sins. But God is not interested in our standard of fairness – He is a “just” God, and sending Jesus to die on the Cross was His decision – a “just” decision.

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Duty is a thankless thing. Sacrifice is something you do for others and not for yourself.
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Everyone wants a balanced life. The word “balance” may sound like a good word but it is not God’s word. Balance in the world is calculated by percentages – an equal 50/50 split. You can not learn balance from the world because their definition of a balanced life changes. If you worship God out of balance, you will regret it. Because worship is your opportunity to give God your ALL.

What is balance to God? It is ALL – 100%. We are called to love the Lord with ALL our heart, ALL our mind and ALL our strength. We are to give Him everything that we are, in worship, in prayer, and in all that we do. Jesus did not give half of His life on the cross – He gave His ALL. He died for us because He knew we could not pay the price on our own. Even though it may not have been “fair” for Jesus to do this, He still did, because He loves us.

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Do not live by a balanced lifestyle, live by God’s word.
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Love is not fair. Love pays an unconditional price. Where there is love, there is sacrifice. God loved us so much that He was willing to give His only begotten Son. Our lives are changed when we are pushed beyond the capacity of our hearts.

Solomon demonstrated how foolish fairness could be.

Read | 1 Kings 3

The story of Solomon and the splitting of the baby is well known. When two mothers were embroiled in a dispute over whom a child belonged, Solomon ordered the baby to be cut into equal halves so that each mother could have one half of the child.

The mother who truly loved the child immediately begged him to give the baby to the other woman instead, in order to spare the baby from harm. It was then that Solomon knew who the child’s mother was, because love is just that powerful, it overpowers “fairness”.

If you really love something, you are not fighting for “fairness”. You are looking to God and asking for His “justice”.

Read | Acts 4:19

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To be “fair” is to do what is right in man’s sight. To be “just” is doing what is right in God’s sight.
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Justice is an objective truth stipulated by a third party, for instance the Word of God; whereas fairness is a subjective inference relying on the satisfaction of all parties involved.

The “fairness” of man does not achieve the “justice” of God, but the “justice” of God can achieve “fairness” of man. 

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People want to be seen as fair, but God is looking for those who are just.
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When you want to be “fair”, your target is no longer God but the people around you. Although people are important, people do not lead the leader. The Holy Spirit leads the leader. It is in God’s sight (and heart) that leaders must desire to do what is right first. 

One can focus so much on doing what is fair that they forget to do what is right.

A government wanting to guard the feelings of the majority often rejects the rights of the minority. Somehow, we call this fair regardless whether it is right or not.

In some situations in church, sometimes majority like certain things but how about about the minority? In such a case we should take such situations to prayer and ask, “God, what do you say? Tell me how to lead”.

Sometimes, the right thing to do may not always be popular. We may be disliked for doing the right thing, but even Jesus and Moses received murmurings for their actions. 

We may have given up our rights but not our roles.

In marriage, one should not look for what is fair, but for what is just. The reason a marriage works is because each spouse has given up their rights, not their roles. Those roles define their responsibilities, which is what makes a working partnership.

Read | Ephesians 5: 21 – 33

Wives, submit to their husbands. And husbands, to love their wives the way Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.

Submission itself sounds unfair, but it is done unto the Lord. Loving someone to the point of giving yourself up sounds impossible, but it is done unto the Lord. And the Lord will never forget your sacrifices. 

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God may deal with us unequally, but never unjustly.
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He will grant us the grace and the strength to live as He did. And as we pursue Him and live by what He desires; God, who is love, will respond to us righteously.

Written by: Writer’s Ink
Edited by: Ivy Wambaa & Hailey Chung