Great Expectations

When I speak of predestination, the most common complaint I get is, “That's not fair”. They say that it is unfair that some are saved and others are damned. They say it is unfair that God chooses who goes to heaven before birth, that some will never be called. They say that since God is just, he must also be fair. He must give everyone an equal shot at heaven. He must extend his hand to everyone to accept or refuse. He must make an effort to save everyone, because that would be fair. And on this, they are unrelenting. Recently, I was talking with my father about this very subject, and he relayed to me an interesting story he once read. The story went along like this:

A professor at an upscale university taught a philosophy class. One of the major things about his course was this: “Your grade will be determined by three papers. If they are not turned in on the due date, they will be a zero”. Naturally, the due date for the first paper arrived. Almost everyone in the class was excited and prepared. Paper in hand, ready for turn in. However, a few students were nervously standing in the front of the room, without a paper. They pleaded with the professor to extend the due date just a few more days. They said that they were only freshmen, and they were not used to the work load, and they needed time to adjust, and please, oh please, could they have just a few more days. So the professor gave them a few more days. The next paper came, and this time only ninety percent of the class was prepared. Ten percent of halfway nervous people were standing without something to turn in. so they begged and pleaded with the professor. Saying that it was homecoming week, and they just did not have enough time, and that it was a difficult subject, and so on. So again, the professor gave them a few more days. Finally, the last paper came. On the due date, only half the class was prepared. The other half told the professor that they would have the paper in a few more days, and would he please give them that time? This time, the professor said no. He gave each one without a paper a zero. This instigated a resounding cry of “BUT THAT'S NOT FAIR”! To which, the professor replied, “You want fair? I'll go back and grade the other papers as a zero because you turned those in late too”! He had used this as an example of grace. About how when we receive grace, we come to expect it. We feel entitled to it. We feel it is owed to us. When, in reality, we have no right to it. And in all fairness, we should have never received it to begin with.

The grace of God operates in the same way. We have no more right to demand salvation than a murder does to demand acquittal. If we do, we are nothing more than whiny children demanding what we are not entitled to. A boy begging his teacher for an extension, and then becoming angered when it is not given. If God were to be “fair” then, by rights, we would all go straight to hell. We have all sinned. We have all failed. No one is righteous. No one deserves salvation. We all deserve to be cast into the lack of fire. No exceptions. God does not have to save anyone. God does not have to extend grace. God does not have to show his love. He chooses to save us, He does not have too. In the interest of fairness, He should not even consider it in the first place.

Do not ever demand that God be fair.

-BlackFox

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