Grace–It’s Just Not Fair!
October 25, 2009
I caught a few minutes of one of those History Channel type programs about Hell recently. They survey the idea of hell in the Bible, in myth and literature. Various theologians chime in with their opinions. One of the ‘experts’ they interviewed made a very sensible sounding observation. I don’t believe, he said, that someone who has been evil and abused other people his entire life can escape punishment with a deathbed repentance. He continued, we will be punished for what we have done.
Now that sounds like the way it ought to be, doesn’t it? Imagine a Hitler or a serial killer, maybe someone who has molested and killed children, dodging his just desserts by a heartfelt appeal to God through obedience in baptism. In fact, reports were a few years ago that serial killer—and cannibal—Jeffrey Dahmer did just that. He was taught the Bible and baptized in prison. Later he was murdered while cleaning the prison bathroom by a fellow prisoner. Our sense of justice might conclude that his life ended properly, taken from him as he took it from so many others. But what about his eternal life? Surely God will give him what he clearly deserves—eternal torment for his unspeakable acts.
Scripture tells us that sin does trigger understandable wrath in God. We read that “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” (Romans 1:18). But we also discover “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) I am faced with the suddenly uncomfortable realization that while I may not be a murderer—I’m even “a good person”—I am still a sinner, and God’s wrath of necessity will be directed at me.
Well, I’ve done a few things wrong, we might say, but I’ve spent years—even decades—serving God. And while I may not be perfect, I’ve certainly put my time in. Is it fair for someone to slide in at the last minute without doing the work that I’ve done?
Jesus answered that line of thinking with the parable of the workers in the vineyard. The owner of the vineyard hired workers at four different times of the day, the last at the eleventh hour. When time to be paid each worker received his pay: one denarius, the standard for a day’s labor. But those who had worked longer objected: “‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But [the owner] replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’”(Matthew 20:12-15)
Paul explained to us that our salvation—not mine, not yours—never comes as a result of our work: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8). The one who begrudges another “worse” sinner for gaining salvation has lost sight of not only the gravity of his own sins, but also that his sins forgiveness demanded the cross as much as the murderer’s did. All of us deserve God’s justice, which for us means God’s wrath, but none of us could possibly withstand it.
No, God’s grace is not fair. And for that I am, literally, eternally thankful.
Alan Cornett