Is Forgiveness Fair?

Hey to all!

Well, after many, many, tooooo many cookies over the Christmas celebration, and all the busyness that goes with the season, I am finally sitting down and pulling out another question from the stack.

That's "stack" not SNACK !  

The next question reads.....   

"If a thief asks God for forgiveness, and I ask God for the same forgiveness, how can we both go to Heaven?   How is that fair?"

Well,  a couple of different thoughts come to mind........ but, I think I will start by asking a question in return...........

Is forgiveness fair?

Well, if you are like me, your first response might be....."NO WAY!"

Forgiveness doesn't seem fair because the other person always does something worse than we do!       I mean, after all, I don't do that.   They're the ones that have a problem!   They are a THIEF!.....
or a MURDERER!...
or a LIAR!....
or a RAPIST!...
or a DRUNK!...
or an ADDICT!
or a GOSSIP!

 tsk...tsk....tsk

Well, before we go on, let's stop and take a look at that list again, and this time, make it a little more personal.....

A THIEF.....
- Have I ever took credit for something someone else did?
       (stealing someone's credit for their hard work and effort)
- Have I ever borrowed something from someone, and never returned it?  
       (stealing someone's property) 
- Have I ever said something about someone else that made others think less of them?
       (stealing someone's good reputation)

A MURDERER......
- Have I ever gotten really angry with someone to feel like I hate them?
- Have I ever called someone an "idiot" or other name that is demeaning?  Or felt that someone else was "dumb"?
- Have I ever secretly wished someone didn't exist so that I wouldn't have to deal with them?

A LIAR.....
- Have I ever intentionally given someone half the information they wanted, knowing that I am holding back information that would be helpful to them, or information that would reveal my faults or wrong?
- Have I ever remained silent, knowing that any information I give would reveal my wrong doing?
- Have I ever manipulated the truth or a fact to make it sound like I want it to - whether to make myself look better or to keep myself from looking bad?
- Have I ever exaggerated?

WAIT A MINUTE, MR.G... WHAT ARE YOU SAYING????

"For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, they are guilty of all.   For He who said, 'Do not commit adultery', also said, 'Do not murder'.   Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have broken the law."   James 2:10-11

"You have heard it said, 'You shall not murder', and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.   But I say to you, that whoever is angry with his brother without a just cause, shall be in danger of the judgment.  And whoever says to his brother, 'Empty-headed!' (same as: stupid, idiot, moron, twit, sap, etc.) shall be in danger of the council (judgment of others...see Matt.7:1-2).  And whoever says 'You fool', (referring to someone as good for nothing, or demeaning them, considering them worthless) shall be in danger of hell fire (the judgment of God)."    Matt.5:21-22

"You have heard it said, 'You shall not commit adultery', but I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery in his heart."  Matt.5:27-28

YUP ~ that means even if you haven't stolen a car, physically killed someone, out-rightly told a lie, or had physical relations outside of marriage but have stolen someone's credit, referred to someone as dumb, didn't reveal all the facts, and thought inappropriate intimate and emotional thoughts about someone, you STILL have sinned.                 


Sure, one seems less threatening, or not "as bad", but the reality is, it is still sin in God's eyes.   We like to put "grades" or "levels" on sin to make ourselves look better, or compare, or even make what we did - to be okay.   What's the big deal?   It's only natural!   Everyone else does it!

So then, if God is willing to forgive THEM for their outright stealing, then He is also willing to forgive MY borrowing something that I didn't return...or my not intentionally telling accurate information...or my curious or lustful glance at someone...or my bitter and angry attitude toward someone, etc., etc..

Forgiveness isn't fair on a human level.   Because someone will always do something worse than we have done...in our eyes, and we had a good reason why we did what we did.  (In our eyes.)

Forgiveness isn't fair in God's eyes either!   After all, He made mankind to have a close relationship with and enjoy life the way He designed it in perfection.    But....mankind messed it up by choosing to turn their affections towards other things and themselves, and in turn threw it all back in His face.   So why should've He sent His only Son to die for our sins???   It wasn't His problem, He didn't do anything wrong!

But that's not how God responded.   He responded by offering us forgiveness, and even promised to give us the strength to recover from our sins!

There is SOOOOOOO much to say about forgiveness!  But to answer this question alone, is to say that...NO, forgiveness is NOT FAIR!    



Yet, I am soooo glad that it isn't!    I know what I deserve, and if it was fair, I wouldn't have the friends that I have, the family I have, the marriage I have, nor the very breath that I am breathing right now.   Because my sin....no matter how great or small compared to someone else's, deserves my death to pay for it.    And I am  SOOOOO glad that He forgave me!

Aren't YOU glad that forgiveness isn't fair???