Most reading this will be angry with me, but I'm doing my absolute best to explain Biblical truth. This is a very sobering topic for some of you and for others, it's a triumphant ring of truth. Which ever way you take this, please consider that I am using the Bible as the absolute standard of truth. This is a weighty one, so if any of you disagree with me, then leave a comment and we'll talk.
Many of you have made an assumption based on the word "fair." I think that's a good place to start because many people get this idea that God must be fair. The general idea is, "If God is a good God, then God's gotta be fair."
But if that's true, then where does Hell fit in? Some people would argue, asking, "Why would a God who is all loving send people to an unending eternity of misery based upon 80 years of sin?" How can God do such a thing and still be called righteous? Isn't that way too severe a punishment? A loving merciful God sending people to Hell for eternity?!
Some people like to think, "If we do 70 years of sinning, then we should get 70 years of Hell. That's fair, good, and just, right?" Let me ask you this. If it took me 20 seconds to murder an innocent victim, should I be sentenced to 20 seconds in prison? You and I know very well that justice doesn't work this way. It's not based off of the time it took to murder, but rather on the severity of the crime.
An offense against the president of some nation will be treated with much more seriousness than a slanderous action against some random person on the street. It's not only a matter of what sin you did folks! It's also a matter of the person you've offended! In this case, it's God!
Apparently we have offended God in such a way that we deserve eternal punishment. But how?
Remember, a legal offense against the president rather than offending some poor bloke is treated with much more seriousness and will earn the offender a considerable sentence in prison. A person who offends God, an infinitely worthy being, will be sentenced to an infinitely worthy punishment. That really shows how much worth God is doesn't it?
Most of us were taught that God is defined as a loving, graceful, merciful, care taking giver of life (and that's true!). But it looks like people were taught only the half of it. Those who teach from the Bible have the responsibility to teach the whole truth, not only parts of it. When people are only given a few pieces of the puzzle, the whole picture never really looks right. It's difficult to come to the right conclusion if your not well informed of everything, which is why I try so hard to make sure I know my stuff, especially with this topic!
It's about time people realize that God simply isn't fair. In fact, it's to our benefit that God isn't fair. If God were to be fair with everyone, we would all go to hell, and justly so. Apparently, God allows people who have lived terribly crummy lives to enter into Heaven with him.
Remember the thief on the cross? This thief was a sinner like all of us, yet Jesus on the cross next to the thief said, "Today, you will be with me in paradise." If you click that and read, you'll see that even the thief hanging next to Jesus actually say's, "We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve." Even at his death, the thief knew he was getting what he deserved.
Jesus was being very unfair here (remember, that's a really good thing!), and Jesus promises the thief that on that very day, He and the thief would be together be in paradise. This is simply an awesome act of mercy. The thief was saved because he believed Jesus.
God being unfair is actually a really good thing for us. God offers a free gift, eternal life. Any one who deliberately refuses and ignores this free gift is practically walking to hell on their own accord. (Sounds mean, but it's true)
