Have you ever heard the phrase “Life’s not fair”? We here this usually when something happens that seems to be one-sided? It happens all the time. Well, I’m here to say that I know that Life is definitely “not” fair and that I am so very glad it’s not! Confused, so was I until I began to understand more about God’s grace. God’s great grace arranged for us to have a way back to Him when we did not deserve it.
Genesis 1:27 states, “So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God, he created them; male and female he created them” (NRSV). In the Garden of Eden God had a relationship with Adam and his wife Eve. The relationship was based on love, but obedience and trust were the anchors. God explained in Genesis 2:16-17 that the couple could eat of all the fruit on the trees except one, the tree of good and evil. God was not trying to deprive Adam and Eve, He was trying to protect them. You see if they were to eat of this tree Adam and Eve would begin to die. Not only a physical death but a spiritual death. Evil would begin to enter their world and Adam and Eve would begin to experience disappointment and shame, the result of sin.
As you know Adam and Eve did eat of the fruit from the tree of good and evil. The result of their disobedience was immediate, and shame took root. God never wanted them to experience evil, but they had made their choice. Although Adam and Eve’s decision was made by listening to the untruths of the Serpent (Satan) the deed had been done and they would have to leave the presence of God and Eden. God cannot tolerate sin, He is complete love and all things good. As 1 John 4:8 states, “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is Love” (ESV). Adam and Eve had grieved God, but He still loved them deeply. He explained that they would have to face many hardships but did give a hint about His plan for redemption.
In Genesis 3: 14-15 God explained to the Serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman (Eve), and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” (NIV). Sound familiar? Jesus was to be born for the very reason to crush Satan’s head, but at the Cross, as Jesus became our sacrifice, Satan did strike Eve’s offspring’s heel with the nail that pierced His flesh.
Because God sent Jesus into this world, He gave us another chance to make things right with Him. Jesus had to live a sinless life and be sacrificed as a perfect lamb to pay for our return ticket home. Satan tried to fool God’s child again, but this time it did not work. Jesus came and did the will of His Father God. He was arrested, beaten beyond recognition, crucified, and killed to save mankind. He came back to life after three days to give us a new life through Him.
God’s only requirement, for us, was in return to believe in what His son, Jesus the Messiah, did on the cross, acknowledge our sin, and ask forgiveness for our disobedience against Him. John 3:16 explains it this way, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. “(ESV).
You see we were “all” doomed, with no hope of ever being right with God. Mankind could not live without sinning. No man could ever keep all of God’s laws and return home to Him, that is until He sent Jesus. Jesus did live without sin and did become our sacrifice. All we had to do was to believe and repent. God gave us the deal of a lifetime. His son’s death for our eternal life with Him. This deal doesn’t sound fair to me. It is rather one-sided, don’t you think?
Fair or not, by choosing to believe in Jesus and asking forgiveness we are choosing life, by denying Him we are choosing death. I don’t know about you, but I choose life with my Savior and King. Romans 5:10 states, “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life” (ESV). Jesus is worthy of my devotion, He gave His life to give me mine!!
No, my friend Life is not fair, God did not make it fair. If God was fair I would be well on my way to Hell where I deserve to be. But, Jesus and His selfless sacrifice made it possible for all mankind to have his or her name written in the Book of Life and be given an opportunity to spend eternity with the Father. Revelation 20:15 makes it very clear, “If anyone’s name is not found written in the book of life, he will be thrown into the lake of fire “Hell” (ESV). Jesus, the Messiah, God’s only Son, deserves all the praise and worship we can give Him. Please Choose Life!!
