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Is God Fair? Post 3

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 9, 2016

In answering the question, “Is God fair?”,  does He give everyone the same things? We have looked at the first two parts of the answer: “No” and “Yes.” Here we look at the final part.

The third answer to this question is another, “No. ” In His dealings with us, God is divinely, magnificently and magnanimously unfair, humanly speaking, in what He gives to His creatures in general and His beloved children in specific. God loves diversity and we see it how He works in our lives. He is able to take the negative effects of the Fall, where all creation was twisted, and use them for good in us.  In this scheme of things each gets what he or she needs.

–Some people He creates with great intelligence, others with simple minds.

–Some are born beautiful, others plain, the rest are somewhere in between.

–Some are born healthy , others with birth defects or serious illnesses.

–Some grow up strong and live long, some die as babies, others die in between.

–Some grow up with many opportunities, some with few, others with none.

–Some have wonderful parents, some are totally neglected and abused, most have average ones.

–Some live in wealth, some in poverty, some in middle class income.

–Some have prominent spiritual gifts, like teaching, or leading, while others have gifts used in the background, like mercy or service.

–Some have leading roles, others do not.

Humanly speaking God is unfair in this, but divinely speaking, we know that He is wise and we can trust Him to do what is best. He knows what challenges each person requires to see his or her need for a Savior, and then to grow spiritually.  He does what is best for each, individually tailoring circumstances and events–very “unfair” from the politically correct perspective, but very loving and wise from God’s perspective of truth and wisdom, and his ultimate goal to eliminate evil, save all who are willing and bring in a new and perfect heaven and earth.

God has distributed roles as He sees fit, much to the consternation of many today. This includes roles in the spiritual (gifts), intellectual and physical realms. Here are some very obvious, yet in our society, often rejected examples of the roles He’s given to men and women.

Men are to procreate. Women are to bear and nurse babies.

Men are generally physically stronger than women and are to protect them.

Men are to teach and lead mixed groups in the Kingdom. Women are to teach and lead women and children in the Kingdom.

Men are to voluntarily, wholeheartedly love, be understanding, nurture & encourage their wives. Women are to voluntarily respect and follow their husbands.

Men are to lead their families. Wives are to be helpers to their husbands.

In this “unfair” distribution of roles God knows and does what is best.  We can trust Him in His wisdom, love, grace and sovereignty to give to each person what that one needs to come to Him, to live a useful and meaningful life, to develop in a healthy and effective way.

So is God fair? “No,” “Yes,” and “No.”  Does God have the right to be so?  Absolutely: He is the Creator of all, the Most High, the Almighty, the Beginner and Ender of time.  There is no one who can challenge Him (as Job found in chapters 38-41 of his book), for the Lord God is perfect in every way.

No human could think up such a wonderful God whose character is multifacetedly perfect and beyond comprehension in His Wisdom, Power and Love. He is completely independent from His creation in His triuneness, where perfect community, love and completeness have existed forever.  This the God who knows what He’s doing and I choose to trust Him!

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Is God Fair? Post 2

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 8, 2016

As stated in post one, fairness, as defined in our age of tolerance, is that everyone should to get the same thing.  In light of this, we have to answer the question, “Is God fair” with “No,” “Yes” and “No.” We looked at the first “No” in part 1, now we will look at this from another perspective.

“Yes, God is fair.”  As you know, He has provided a way of salvation for all, and in this we see His “fairness.” He gives the same potential to everyone.  Here are several points of this fairness.

–In creating all human beings in His image, God bequeathed to all the same worth (Gen. 1:26,27).

–Jesus confirmed this when He died and provided the potential for salvation for all who have ever lived and will live. (1John 2:2, Heb. 2:9, 1 Tim 2:6, 4:10)

–We can only be saved by faith; this is true for everyone no matter what his or her age, intelligence, education, religion, status, wealth, health, strength, home or family.  It’s the same for all.  (Eph 2:8,  Rom. 1:17)

–The Holy Spirit works in the life of every person in the whole world to convince each one of his or her need for Jesus as Savior. (John 16:7-11)

–God watches over each person, is aware of the heart condition of each, and loves each with the same great love. ( Psalm 33:13-15, Psalm 145:10-16,)

–God has the same desire for everyone:  that all be saved, although because of their unbelief, many will refused His salvation.   (1 Tim 2:4,  2 Peter 3:9, John 1:7)

–God will condemn all sin, and anyone who clings to it rather than accepting His offer of grace and protection, will be condemned along with the sin they chose and loved. (John 3:18,

In this non-exhaustive list of  Scriptural points, God offers to all the same possibility of becoming His child, of entering His Kingdom and Family and of receiving the same gifts and privileges–and the way to accept them is the same for all: by faith, a gift He also offers to all. In His mercy God is fair, and I am thankful for it!

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Is God Fair? First of Three Posts

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 7, 2016
 
Fairness, as defined in our age of tolerance, is that everyone should get the same thing, be given “what we deserve.” In light of this, when we ask the question, “Is God fair?” we have to answer the question, with “No,” “Yes” and “No.”
 
So, is God fair? First, “No.” If God were fully fair and gave us what we actually and naturally deserved, all people, as sin-twisted rebels, would all be sent to Hell immediately. As the Word says, we are by nature children of wrath (Eph. 2:3), and that in our natural selves there dwells no good thing (Rom 7:18).
 
Since God is righteous, He must punish sin–if He did not punish it, there would be no justice, no hope of change for the good, no solution to the problem of evil. Before a just God, we would naturally all go to Hell right now–if He acted only from fairness.
 
However, praise God, His character is not limited to the low and simplistic standard of being fair. He is also merciful, loving and full of grace. Therefore, in this area, He chooses to not be fair; that is, He does not give us what we deserve, but instead offers the possibility of pardon.
 
An entry in my worship journal expands on this.
 
You, Lord Jesus are faithful–faithful to Your righteousness, to your holiness, to your justice, to perfect judgment of evil. You will always follow through on who you are. And you, Heavenly Father, being love itself, are faithful in your hatred of sin, of evil, of anything contrary to your character. In your love you judge sin, rebellion, and all that does not measure up to your righteousness; if you didn’t judge, you would not be love, for righteous, pure and perfect love cannot abide with anything that is tainted by unlove: selfishness, pride and evil.
 
I praise you, O Lord God,that you rise far above our ability to comprehend. How could One who hates sin so profoundly, provide, against all logic we know, a pardon for your creatures who are so thoroughly sinful, selfish, evil and rebellious–so contrary to you?
 
Yet, in your wonderful, rich grace, you opened the way, at great personal expense, providing reconciliation through crushing your Son without mercy that mercy might flow to all your enemies (us), giving us the potential for redemption, reconciliation, transformation, and eternal life with you.
 
Praise you that you are forcefully faithful to your character–you are Light, your are Love, you are Life itself and you are altogether lovely. You have not been fair, but have given us the opposite of what we deserve, and we praise you for it!
 
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The Giver of Victories

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 6, 2016

Psalm 18:50  “He gives his king great victories;”

[You, Lord, give us opportunity to participate in your victories each day, in every temptation, every stress, every desire to grumble–each an opportunity to take up your grace and glorify you with the sacrifice of thanksgiving. You help us in each opportunity, making it possible to deny self and obey Truth, to let go of what is temporary, to hold on to what is eternal and to rise above the frustrations, disappointments and problems of life. And in so doing you help us fulfill the purpose of our lives: honoring you, revealing you to those around us by our trusting you in every circumstance. You are sufficient, you are powerful and you are loving, fully worthy of our complete obedience.]

“he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,”

[your faithfulness endures forever, your grace flows endlessly, your goodness never fails. In your kindness you are ever the trustable One, always carrying us through the battle as we rest in you and keep on your armor; you carry us onto the heights and to new victories beyond.]

“to David and his descendants forever.”

[And so you have proved faithful in protecting the line of David, and bringing the promised Savior, confirming your unfailing kindness to all people, both Jews and  Gentiles. You are the Lover of the twisted ones, Redeemer of the rebels, Savior of your evil enemies and Shepherd of the scattered flock.

Praise be to you for your unreasonable Love, your illogical grace, your outrageous kindness, your amazing goodness, all poured out upon us day by day when we actually deserve the opposite. Glory be to you, the Great and Good God!]

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Psalm 18:46-49

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 5, 2016

In the midst of his battles David could shout:

Psa 18:46,47  “The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God my Savior! He is the God who avenges me,
who subdues nations under me,”

[As far as we know, David was never defeated in battle and never seriously wounded because God protected him. “The LORD is my rock…my deliverer… my shield” (Psalm 18:2) And David remembered this, giving God the credit.]

Psa 18:48  “He is the God…who saves me from my enemies.”

[Yes, O Lord God, “I call to you, who are worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies…You reach down from on high, you take hold of me, you draw me out of deep waters.” (Ps 18:3,16). You are the faithful One who constantly watches over me, not primarily for my comfort, but for my being able to give you glory before the nations.]

“You exalted me above my foes;”

[“You rescue me from my strong enemies, from my foes who are too strong for me.” (Psalm 18:17)]

“from violent men you rescued me.”

[They “confronted me on the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place. He rescued me because he delighted in me.” (Ps. 18:18,19)]

Psa 18:49  “Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O LORD;
I will sing praises to your name.”

[You, Lord God who fights for us, are worthy of glory and honor and exaltation and praise, for you are the Savior of all, especially of those who believe in you. You are worthy of being lifted up among the nations. You are God, you are Lord, you are Sovereign, you are Good, all the time.]

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Walking in the Light

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 4, 2016

I’ve been meditating more on Psalm 89:15, “Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,” meaning those who are learning to recognize you in every detail, to be aware of your constant work in their lives and therefore to praise you in every circumstance. They see frequent “God sightings,” as you clearly meet their needs.

These believers, “… walk in the light of your presence….” They are aware of your faithful attendance to them, of your being with them, shining your wisdom into their lives, lighting the way.

“They rejoice in your name all day long, they exalt in your righteousness….” You are their focus, your qualities are guiding their thoughts, and therefore their actions and reactions, “for you are their glory and strength.” They are constantly looking to you for help, drawing their significance from you, aware that belonging to you is a great joy, that you are the meaning of life, the importance of existence, the greatness of their lives.

And you are their security, for you are strong and with your strength you protect them, give them power in the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical realms.

They recognize you as the source of all, the goal of all, the God of all, the glory of all, the end of all. As they live in the light of your presence, they rest in the shadow of your power, they bask in the warmth of your love, they rejoice in the privilege of knowing you intimately, the Creator of all, the Shepherd of the weak, the King of the needy. They choose to live in the truth that knowing you is enough for joy!

Praise be to You, Lord Jesus, for being the infinite God–you know all things and therefore you can lead us through the maze of mixed, murky motives, confused emotions and tangled thoughts that tend to trip us up.

I praise you that as we come and ask for wisdom and understanding, you help us to see what is going on, shining your light of knowledge and insight into the inner workings of our lives. In this you are gracious, you are patient, you are kind, you are good, you are wonderful, you are wise, and you are firm. You are what we need, for we were made to live with you! Praise be to you forever.

Prayer: “Lord Jesus, I bow before you, exalting you as the Most High, my final authority. I agree to obey you in all I know to be true. Help me to see where I am unthinkingly walking in natural ways instead of your supernatural ones. Help me to think your thoughts, speak your words, do your work. Amen”

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Astounding Love

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 3, 2016

Thank you, Lord Jesus,  for your patience with me, for your kind and constant working when I am not faithful, for your unceasing love and goodness in spite of my rebellion and unbelief.

Thank you for your guidance in all, for your wide, comprehensive and complete plans for our lives: you miss no detail, your timing is perfect and your grace is more than sufficient.

Thank you for the powerful and persistent work of your Spirit in our lives to teach, convict, rebuke and lead. Help us to be more and more wholeheartedly obedient to the Spirit’s leading. I praise you that you never give up on us and will pursue us to the end.

To you belongs all honor and glory, Lord Jesus, for your great and deep love shared with the Father and Spirit, and now shared with us. It is so good to be in your kingdom, your family, your embrace.

I praise you for the power of your love, that you can and do love those who are your enemies, who seek to bring you harm, who are destructive and dangerous to your cause. I thank you that you love me, a man of unbelief, of fear, of rebellion, of selfishness and laziness, of pride and destruction. In spite of me you love; your love is beyond comprehension, flowing without regard to the response or lack of it in the objects of your love.

You loved all in the world so much that you took upon yourself every sin of every person from the beginning of creation to the end of history (“He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” 1 John 2:2).—even though you knew that the majority would not choose for you! That is agape love: full, faithful, ever flowing, unquenchable and unending.

I praise you, Lord Jesus, for the great privilege of being one whom you love, to live in the warmth and protection, the goodness and grace of your love which surpasses understanding. Thank you that we don’t have to understand your love to live in it.

We can bask in it, revel in it, rejoice in it and rest in it while being transformed by it. “As we gaze upon him with unveiled faces, we are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor. 3:18)

What a wonder: you call us to your love, you give us joy in it, and as we see more and more of it, we are being changed to be like you—being able to love the unlovely, to be wise and useful for you, to bring you more and more honor.

I praise you, Lord Jesus, for your great and wonderful love, your rich and deep character, your persistent and patient working in our lives. You are more wonderful than anyone can adequately express. Truly you are the One “who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,” (Eph 3;20). To you be honor and glory in my life today,

 

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Psalm 18:37-45

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 2, 2016

As King David wrote Psalm 18, he faced human foes, while we more often face unseen ones. However, the reality of the battle is the same and the One who vanquishes the enemy is also the same.

As we follow you, Lord Jesus, our Warrior King, I praise you that in the spiritual battle before us, our true enemies, Satan and His hordes, will be defeated as we submit to and trust in you. Then we can say with David,

Psa 18:37  [By keeping on the armor of God] “I pursued my enemies [Satan and his demons] and overtook them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed [by praise, prayer and persistence in obedience].

Psa 18:38  I crushed them [with the Word of God] so that they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet” [because I joined God in what He is doing].

[This is possible, Lord Jesus, because]

Psa 18:39  “You armed me with strength for battle; you made my adversaries bow at my feet.

Psa 18:40  You made my [spiritual] enemies turn their backs in flight, and [in your power] I destroyed my foes [Satan’s servants].

Psa 18:41  They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—to the LORD, but he did not answer [for they had rejected Him and His ways].

Psa 18:42  I beat them as fine as dust borne on the wind; I poured them out like mud in the streets.”

[This is your doing, Lord Jesus, for you are my shield and strength].

Psa 18:43  [David could say in his situation] “You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
you have made me the head of nations; people I did not know are subject to me.

Psa 18:44  As soon as they hear me, they obey me; foreigners cringe before me.

Psa 18:45  They all lose heart; they come trembling from their strongholds.”

[Your power, Lord Jesus, triumphs in the end. Praise be to you, O Triune God, for you are faithful to protect, provide and lead us through our daily battles. Help us to keep on the armor and use well the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, so that you may be honored and Satan defeated today.]

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Jesus my stability

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 1, 2016

Sometimes I feel like I’m on a ship in the midst of a storm, continually being shot high up on the next wave, then left to plunge into the following trough.

However, in knowing you, Lord Jesus, the Rock of salvation, the Stronghold of security, the Fortress of safety, the Savior of stability, the Deliverer of surety, I can rest in the certainty of your help. “I call on the Lord, who is worthy to be saved, and I am saved from my enemies” (Psalm 18:3).

So, although my life may be rolling up and down, your gyroscope of grace and the weight of your wisdom keep me balanced, standing and victorious in the storm. You are the Great and Glorious God, worthy of worship, worthy of praise, worthy of obedience. May I walk in obedience to you, to your Word, in your Way today, bringing you joy and honor in all that you have for me  Amen.

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Jesus my Gyroscope

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 1, 2016

Sometimes I feel like I’m on a ship in the midst of a storm, continually being shot high up on the next wave, then left to plunge into the following trough.

However, in knowing you, Lord Jesus, the Rock of salvation, the Stronghold of security, the Fortress of safety, the Savior of stability, the Deliverer of surety, I can rest in the certainty of your help. “I call on the Lord, who is worthy to be saved, and I am saved from my enemies” (Psalm 18:3).

So, although my life may be rolling up and down, your gyroscope of grace and the weight of your wisdom keep me balanced, standing and victorious in the storm. You are the Great and Glorious God, worthy of worship, worthy of praise, worthy of obedience. May I walk in obedience to you, to your Word, in your Way today, bringing you joy and honor in all that you have for me  Amen.

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