Christian Beliefs by Grudem Wayne

Author:Grudem, Wayne
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 978-0-310-32209-2
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2009-03-17T04:00:00+00:00

Is God Really Fair?

At this point some people will object that if the doctrine of election is true, then God isn’t really fair. Since God chooses some to be saved and passes over others, deciding not to save them, his grace is awarded rather unfairly.

It is important to understand what “fair” really is with respect to salvation. Indeed, it would be perfectly fair for God not to save any human beings who sinned and rebelled against him, just as he did with the angels: “God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment” (2 Pet. 2:4). But if he does save any human beings, then this is a demonstration of grace, which goes far beyond the requirements of fairness and justice. If God saved only five people out of the whole human race, this would be mercy and grace. If he saved one hundred, this would be amazing mercy and grace. But in fact he has decided to save “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages” (Rev. 7:9). This is mercy beyond our comprehension.

Paul raises this question on a deeper level in Romans 9. After saying that God “has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills” (Rom. 9:18), Paul then writes, “You will say to me then, ‘Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?'” (Rom. 9:19). In essence, Paul is giving voice to a very common question: If each person’s ultimate destiny is determined by God, then how can this be fair? Even when people make willing choices, determining whether they will be saved or not, if God is actually somehow behind those choices, then how can he be fair?

Here is what Paul says:

But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honored use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? (Romans 9:20 – 24)

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.