Have you ever found yourself saying, “that’s not fair!” When suffering is undeserved or when we see others receive what seems like more (or less) than they deserve? I recently heard someone say, “God is fair,” and I was curious about what the Bible says about this statement.
You see, in our human minds, fairness feels simple because it is mostly defined by our culture or even religious upbringing. We often judge situations by what our culture tells us is right, rather than by what God says is right in His Word. What one culture calls “justice” looks very different from another. For example, in some nations influenced by radical Islam, justice for a woman accused of adultery can mean death by stoning, while a man may face far lighter consequences. In other places, “fairness” might include strict honor-based punishments or systemic inequalities that our own culture would view as deeply unjust. These varying standards show how fragile and shifting humanistic ideologies about fairness are.
But what humans think is fair and what God thinks is often vastly different. Our sense of fairness is based on our limited perception—shaped by finite experiences, emotions, and incomplete understanding of truth, while God’s sense of fairness is rooted in His perfect, unchanging nature as the Creator of all things. J. Vernon McGee powerfully reminded us:
“This is God’s universe, and God does things his way. You may have a better way, but you don’t have a universe.”
Yet, we often tend to think as if we are in the place of God. We imagine a “fairer” system from our narrow viewpoint without having any authority to do so. God does have this right. His ways flow from who He is—perfectly just, perfectly righteous, and perfectly loving—and that makes His “fairness” infinitely wiser, more just, more perfect, and more generous than anything we could devise.
In our Basic Bible Concepts study, we talk often of God’s nature; that is, that He is righteous, just, and loving. His Word says:
“Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:23-24
God’s nature, that is, His justice and righteousness, cannot be compromised; otherwise, He would not be God.
“He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.” Deuteronomy 32:4
“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face.” Psalm 89:14
Because God is perfectly righteous, sin must receive an exacting punishment. This is called the Law of Sin and Death. But in our limited perception, we often say, “That’s not fair. I don’t feel like imperfect people should be held to a perfect standard.” But God’s justice, grounded in His holy nature, cannot be compromised to match our feelings. If He did, He would not be who He says He is and thus, He would not be God.
But God does not lower the standard of His nature to rescue us. Instead, He engages the third pillar of His nature—His love. In fact, the Bible tells us He is the embodiment of love:
“He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 John 4:8
His love is not sentimental or weak. It is the most powerful force in heaven or earth because it moved Him to act on our behalf. God’s love provided humanity a rescue that goes so far beyond human fairness—it’s mind blowing.
Jesus paid the full penalty of OUR sin against God.
God’s generosity is not fair by human standards—it is lavish, undeserved, and freely given. By every human measure, we deserve the wages of our sin:
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
God gives us a priceless opportunity to escape the punishment our sin rightly deserves:
“He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:10-12
Instead of giving us justice alone, Jesus gave us mercy in taking up the cross. Jesus—the only One who never sinned—took the full penalty for our crimes against the love of God. The righteous Judge became the perfect Substitute. That is not fair by any earthly standard. It is extravagant love. It is mercy beyond measure. It is God being MORE than fair to a rebellious world.
Someday, we will ALL stand before this righteous Judge— the unsaved will stand before him in The great white throne judgment, and the saved will stand before him at the Judgment Seat of Christ. At the great white throne judgment, the unsaved, that is those who are not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, will be judged by their works. Every one of them will be found wanting because God is clear that good works cannot save anyone. (Ephesians 2:8-9) The judgment seat of Christ, on the other hand, should be a time for great rejoicing for all born again believers who have faithfully served God. If we have used our time on this earth to live in loving obedience, we will receive the many rewards that He has planned for the faithful!
Is it “fair” that sinners saved by grace will not only enjoy eternal life with Christ, but have also been given abundant daily opportunities to earn magnificent eternal rewards that will be enjoyed for ever and ever? What about the born again being able to enjoy the fruit of God’s Spirit while here on earth; that is, His “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control?” Galatians 5:22-23
My friend, there is only one person that God is not fair to—it is Himself.
He has lavished us with a grace that is so far beyond the concept of human fairness, that we cannot comprehend it. We didn’t earn it. We never could. Yet He freely gives it to all who simply believe.
“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:4-10
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You that You are not fair according to the world’s narrow, perception-based standards, but infinitely more than fair in Your love for me. You are perfectly just, perfectly righteous, and perfectly loving—all at once. This is Your universe, and You do things Your way. Forgive me for the times I have questioned You when life felt hard or when Your ways didn’t match my limited understanding. Open my eyes to see Your extravagant grace and the wisdom of Your sovereign nature. Fill me afresh with the fruit of Your Spirit so that I may walk in the abundant life. Help me to trust You more deeply and to extend Your mercy and love to others. In the name of Jesus, our Savior and Lord, Amen.
