Is God Fair?

Is God fair? Is it fair that some people will go to Hell?

This is a question that really bothers a lot of people.

Those who have accepted Jesus into their hearts and become His children will spend eternity in Heaven with Him when they die. Those who have not accepted Christ will spend an eternity in torment in a place called Hell. This is because we are sinful beings and need Jesus to save us from these sins. God and sin do not mix; so without Christ's blood to cover our iniquities, we can't go to Heaven.

"But that's not fair," some people say.
Who are we to require the God of the universe to be fair? (Even though He is.)

What about people who haven't heard?
Matthew 24:14 says, "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." Everyone will hear before He returns.

Who is God to tell me I have to make this choice? Who is He to make the rules?
Well, since He created the universe including you, He can do stuff like that.

Some people seem worse than others. Some people seem like they've lived pretty good lives.
Sure. But all sin is equal in God's eyes. That's like saying, "Oh, it's just a little cyanide. I'll be fine." Sin is sin.

God isn't just fair—He's offered us grace. We could never have been saved if He hadn't died for us. I came across this quote by C.S. Lewis a week or so ago, and I've been thinking about it ever since:

"God, in the end, gives people what they most want, including freedom from Himself. What could be more fair?" - C.S. Lewis

Think about it. You have a choice to spend eternity either with God or apart from Him. It's a big decision, so choose wisely.

You might be wondering why the "God-less" option is, or has to be, so awful. The following is just my perception, but here goes:

Whether you're a believer or not, everything good about your life is from and because of God, and it's just a loan.

James 1:17 says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

Let's think about this. In the beginning, God created the universe and the earth and everything in it, and it was very good. Then man sinned and brought evil, sickness, and death into the world. God didn't create the world with those things. Adam and Eve's sin brought it into the world.

All that is good comes from God. Life is a good thing, breathing is good, family is good, food is good, the animals are good, trees are good, work is good, beauty is good, laughter is good...

ALL that we have that is good is a gift from God. Even the people who choose to ignore God, some even saying that He doesn't exist, still get to enjoy the gifts God has given the people of this world. Non-believers experience the joy of love, learning, education, travel, creation, and fellowship. The reason ANY of us has those things is because God is alive and at work in this world.

However, we do not own any of these things. That's why the Bible calls us stewards of this world. We are supposed to care for the Earth, love one another, accomplish the tasks he empowers us to do, and spread His Gospel. That is why we're here.

Jesus is going to come back and crush Satan once and for all. When He came to earth thousands of years ago, He defeated sin and death to give us the opportunity to accept Him. When he returns the second time, He'll come get all the believers. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) Then, after a battle that's described in Revelation that I'm not going to get into, God will defeat Satan once and for all, throwing him into the lake of fire.

Now where do we get off thinking God should loan us all this goodness forever?

Unbelievers, be thankful that you get to enjoy God's gifts, including your life, even for a short time. You wouldn't even exist if it weren't for Him. Who are you to say that you should be able to go on enjoying these gifts forever or that you should be able to enjoy them after you die in the way that you please?

Hell is a place where there is no joy. There is only suffering, sorrow, extreme agony. That's because it's an existence apart from God.

Earth is a place we can experience the joy of Christ as Christians and can enjoy the things He's given us, but we still have to deal with the imperfections in the world because of the sinfulness of humanity.

Heaven is a perfect place where God and people redeemed by Christ will spend eternity. There will be no more tears, pain, or sorrow. That's because we will be in God's presence. What could ever be better than that?

So my point is: Everything that's good about your life is from God, and it's only a loan. This earth is going to pass away, and the unbelievers and the redeemed will be separated.

Have you chosen an eternity with Christ or an eternity apart from Him? The choice is yours, and it always has been, but you don't have forever to decide.