Is God Unfair?

“The Lord frustrates the plans of the nations; He thwarts the devices of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the purposes of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His inheritance!

The Lord looks down from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. From His dwelling place He gazes on all who inhabit the earth. He shapes the hearts of each; He considers all their works.” Psalms 33:10-15 Berean

God’s plan and purpose often seem unfair in the eyes of humans. Certainly suffering in this world is unequally distributed among the people of the earth. Not all are drawn to the Father or enabled to comprehend the depths of His nature and wisdom. For example, Jesus told His disciples that it was given to them to understand the kingdom, but it wasn’t given to those outside their group, much less those not of the Jewish community.

Jesus chose twelve men whom He wanted to minister and teach more deeply than the crowds of people who followed Him for a time. Is this prejudice from our Lord and Savior? Jesus had His inner circle sitting at His feet, close to Him, even having special times with just a few, like Peter, James and John. Think about this. Many a believer today would be loudly objecting to what appears to be exclusivity, a division of those who were good enough to be chosen and those seemingly less worthy.

Yet this cannot be true in the heart of Jesus, Who loves all and is no respecter of persons. God is clear that He knows no partiality in His love and mercy. So, how shall we understand this? Consider the purpose and plan God has for each person, knowing He will have favor on those He chooses. It is His business whom He calls. Many are called who go on to become chosen, and then faithfully continue to their calling.

“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the crossroads and invite to the banquet as many as you can find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered everyone they could find, both evil and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

But when the king came in to see the guests, he spotted a man who was not dressed in wedding clothes. ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But the man was speechless.Then the king told the servants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

For many are called, but few are chosen.’” Matthew 22:8-14 Berean

While His love extends to all without partiality, we are to make our calling and election sure. He has different ranks, different callings, and differing eras of His plan that in no way come from the “better than/less than” mentality of humans about such things. Did He not say, “In my house, I have many mansions,” many dwelling places for various ones by His choosing?

“For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: ‘I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.’ Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden.

One of you will say to me, ‘Then why does God still find fault? For who can resist His will?’

But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, ‘Why did You make me like this?’ Does not the potter have the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special occasions and another for common use?” Romans 9:17-21 Berean

The idea of unfairness is a human concern, not that Jesus cannot relate. He absolutely had many unfair things happen to Him that He might have complained about, but He knew better and trusted His Father. God’s calling and election is sure, so we accept our lot because the Potter has the right to form us as He chooses. It is only our own fearful human hearts that see another’s calling and believe it is a negative reflection of our own status and position.

Our callings differ, just as our paths do. Differentness is not badness, nor is it a sign of one being better or less than another. When we are envious of how another believer is used by the Lord, we need to consider that much will be required—has already been required—for many used in His ministry. God has a path and purpose for each. When we are in the center of His will for us, we are able to be satisfied and content.

There are ranks in God, with the overcoming sons of God being the highest Zion rank in the kingdom of God within. Calling is translated “invitation” from the Greek. All were invited to the wedding feast in Jesus’ parable, but not all came and at least one that did was without a wedding garment. This guest came unprepared, not clothed with the pure nature of Christ, described as a gown of white linen in Revelation.

Many are called and, like Paul, are determined to go higher, as far as God would have. God is in charge of the invitations and the callings! While we admire another’s gifts and callings, would we really want to have what they have if we knew the price they paid to get it? When I first heard my future husband ministering the word during a meeting of the saints, I recognized the powerful word Rich had and wished I had something similar. God told me, “My child, would you want to go through what he has to get it?” I did not know what Rich had gone through already, and what a correction!

This is another way we Christians can unwisely judge by outer circumstances, seeing the results of God’s hand on another without knowledge of the tests and purging that brought about that gold we so admire and even covet. Jesus told His disciples:

“The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows.

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” Luke 12:47-48 NIV

We are held accountable by God for what we know spiritually. When we know but do it not, that is sin. Are we to revel in any superior knowledge, holding it over others as if we, ourselves, gained it rather than it being of God’s choosing? Would God allow any son He called to enter into His highest calling, to be among the kingdom priests destined to change the world, to rule and reign with Him, if that person had one speck of “I’m better than, superior to, closer to God, more in the know, than you?”

In Revelation, we see just how important those qualifying for the highest calling are. When the enemy of God’s people makes war against the saints, Jesus and all those who have qualified go to war spiritually, together:

“They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen and faithful ones.” Revelation 17:14 Berean

Jesus clearly said that the mark of a son is to be a servant to all. To minister is to serve, not to rule over the people. Kingdom authority is granted to those who have overcome all within them so only the Christ rules. There’s the qualification, the price to pay for further steps in God. Paul called the high calling a prize and that is something that is earned. It is not a free gift. Those who are called, chosen and remain faithful must be refined into wise and loving servants of God’s own precious people.

This is not a calling to be grasped at nor demanded. Like it or not, it is God’s choice who is called to this order in Him. Some who have the knowledge of this sonship message have filtered it through their soulish realm, letting the pride of life draw them to a better-than attitude amidst self-congratulatory proclamations of their own sonship. No wonder their listeners resist this message or even search for a way to deny it when they see such fleshly behavior revealing soulish arrogance.

It behooves anyone called to spiritual leadership to learn humility. God will teach it to you, willing or not, as part of your calling. God never promised equality of position or to match the calling samongst us, but He certainly desires us to be like Him. We are to be confirmed into His image and likeness. This includes us becoming no respecter of persons, honoring all parts of the Body as necessary for the operation of all, love and peace toward all men, even our enemies, preferring others over ourselves and our needs.

I like how The Message says it:

“But I also want you to think about how this keeps your significance from getting blown up into self-importance. For no matter how significant you are, it is only because of what you are a part of. An enormous eye or a gigantic hand wouldn’t be a body, but a monster.

What we have is one body with many parts, each its proper size and in its proper place. No part is important on its own. Can you imagine Eye telling Hand, ‘Get lost; I don’t need you’? Or, Head telling Foot, ‘You’re fired; your job has been phased out’?

As a matter of fact, in practice it works the other way—the ‘lower’ the part, the more basic, and therefore necessary. You can live without an eye, for instance, but not without a stomach. When it’s a part of your own body you are concerned with, it makes no difference whether the part is visible or clothed, higher or lower. You give it dignity and honor just as it is, without comparisons.

If anything, you have more concern for the lower parts than the higher. If you had to choose, wouldn’t you prefer good digestion to full-bodied hair? The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don’t, the parts we see and the parts we don’t.

If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance.” 1 Corinthians 12:19-26 The Message (MSG)

How clear this is, setting a standard for how we are to regard one another, our differing requirements and callings! Without these characteristics of the Lord’s nature, we Christians may appear holy and righteous while our hearts are not yet purified by fire. Consequently, very little real kingdom fruit is produced. We see this lesson most powerfully illustrated in Jesus’ death when all hope appeared to be lost. The wonderful times of fellowship the disciples had in learning from our Lord were most difficult to leave.

It is hard to leave the pleasant places we have so loved spiritually whether they end suddenly or gradually dry up. We, His people, have often become comfortable, settling on a lower, familiar plane that is less than our full inheritance. Our Father, in His wisdom, allows the discomfort of a thorn in the flesh to move us on. If we don’t move, He moves on anyway while we remain in our comfortable place of our former learning, our past rituals and traditions.

We then miss His new beginnings unfolding in this third thousand-year Day when all things are being made new. Early on the third day, He arose! Jesus Christ is alive and ruling in the heavens with our Father, soon to rule the earth also, because God will tabernacle openly in His people. This third day is the Feast of Tabernacles, the celebration of harvest, now upon us. It’s time for reapers to gather what God has sown in the hearts of His people.

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9 KJV

What are we reaping? Why, the fruit of the kingdom, the full character of Christ Who descends with a shout. God’s called, chosen, and faithful wait with patience, along with the saints in spiritual Zion, for the full redemption to be completed as promised. Two thousand years of the church age have passed, and the third day, the new day, the Day of the Lord, is beginning to shine upon us. Now Jesus and His Father come to be within us to dine with His own.

He has prepared a great Feast for all:

“And Yahweh of hosts makes for all peoples, in this mountain, a feast of oils, a feast of lees, of oils from marrows, of filtered lees. And He swallows up on this mountain the face wrap wrapped over all the peoples, and the blanket blanketing all the nations.He swallows up death permanently.

And my Lord Yahweh will wipe every tear off of all faces, and the reproach of His people will He take away off all the earth, for the mouth of Yahweh speaks. And they will say in that day, ‘Behold! This is Yahweh, our Elohim. We expected Him, and He will save us! This is Yahweh! We expected Him, and we will exult!’” Isaiah 25:6-9 Concordant Literal

Hear the word of the prophet: all people, all nations will be able to see Him. This has not yet happened, but it is foretold by Isaiah and confirmed in Revelation. There are no “nations” in heaven, only nations on the earth. He will wipe away tears from every face. There are no tears in heaven to wipe away. We have tears and sorrows here, on this earth. The disgrace of our sinful nature is ruling, evident in the earth, not in heaven.

These promises for the ages to come are clearly for us on the earth while we live as God fulfills His plan here. We have every right to hope in this promise even if He does not fulfill it on this earth until we are gone. He is returning within a people, where His kingdom is found. Though it takes ages, He will do so because He said so! Sin is missing the mark, but you need to know what the mark is!

It is sad that we, His people, have never been able to fully become what He created us to be. We all fall short of showing forth the Christ nature within us. Without the Lord bringing the mind of Christ, the fullness of all He has done for us, into each person’s heart, we continue to fall short of His glory. But He promised to take our ways that continue to produce death away, wiping away anything that causes tears—and this is for every face! This is the great Hope and Promise of our God.

Jesus Christ our Lord will not stop until He has returned all to His Father and we are together in the Lord. Some will consider His plan unfair after all they’ve done for God. Why do the last become first? Why is God allowing their work, their ministry to come to an end, to be burned up into stubble and waste? Why can’t things continue as they have been, with prosperity and honor in the eyes of others? Many wonder how satan’s power and authority have caused all these woes and begin to question God about it.

When you absolutely know that your life is in God’s hands, no human can take from you what God wants you to have nor bless you in anything that God has not destined for you. God has brought many powerful ministries to an end when their season is over. He will continue to bring more to a close as we move into this kingdom age. God firmly closes some doors in our faces when we serve Him with a willing surrender.

There are seasons for certain things, times of ministry and fellowship that come and go. There are ages in God, one closing out when another begins. The more quickly we recognize it is God, whom we serve, bringing about an end to something, rather than satan attacking our ministry, the easier surrender becomes when God closes a season for us. This is the way of peace when we have the maturity of obedience. In God, endings are new beginnings for those who love and serve Him. We can stand upon that!

There are multiple reasons why we cling to what God is ending, but often it’s because we do not think it is Him! Those who continue to eat the fruit of the Tree of Good and Evil see all good things as from God and all evil from satan. Study the word and you quickly see that this is not the way of it. Without the holy spirit, such study is not enlightening. With the holy spirit, God reveals that his thoughts and ways are different from our human understandings:

“‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.

‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your waysand my thoughts than your thoughts.” Jeremiah 55:8-9 NIV

As Job said when God chastised him for his complaints, we often speak of things too high for us. Yet God promised He would reveal his treasures to those who love Him and are called for His purposes. Paul spoke of this to the Corinthians, also quoting from the Old Testament:

“Rather, as it is written: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.’ But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of man except his own spirit within him? So too, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.

The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment. For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 2:9-16 Berean

What a powerful scriptural passage! Do we want to know God, even His very heart? We long to get past God’s actions that we can see and understand His ways, as He showed His faithful servant, Moses:

“He made known His ways to Moses, His deeds to the people of Israel.” Psalms 103:7 Berean

Moses came to know God intimately. He had to, in order to fulfill God’s calling to lead His people, the Israelites, out of bondage. There were Israelites who envied Moses without understanding the weight of responsibility and, yes, the grief of their continual rebellion that Moses often carried. The leadership of a people is an incredible gift as well as a weight only to be carried by the Lord within.

Moses even dared to disagree with God, advocating for the people when God wanted to destroy them all. He also told God about his frustration and distress concerning these rebellious people he had to lead. He even destroyed the 10 commandments wrought in stone that God had given him on the mountaintop, angry and devastated that in his absence and on Aaron’s watch, the people had created a false idol, a calf to worship. Yet Moses still interceded for the people he had loved and was serving as leader.

Read about it in the book and you will see that many of God’s saints were intimately acquainted with Him and endlessly real in their conversations. Nothing is hidden from the Lord, so why not bring our struggles to Him rather than avoiding or running away? When we struggle with the portion God has given us, either wanting more or wishing for less, God is not surprised. Our Lord is never caught unprepared to respond, though it does matter how we approach Him and what our hearts are prepared to receive in understanding His ways.

God said some would not ever do this, because they try to use fleshly ways and human understanding to approach a spiritual God. There is more of the fiery presence coming to such as these and that’s a good thing! God is spirit and we must learn to understand His ways by the spirit, higher than human ways, His plans and designs differ from what we’d design with our human understandings.

Then we come to worship Him in the way that pleases Him:

“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” John 4:24 KJV

If we do not learn this lesson, truly coming to know God and understanding more of His ways, including those that seem unfair to our human eyes, we miss out on a great deal of peace and rest. We can have faith even though we lack understanding of all His ways, as we continue to seek Him above all. Or we can waste our religious energy on works when God looks at the heart. We can wonder why we do not obtain mercy while being reluctant to offer mercy and compassion to others. We can rebuke the devil all day long without turning our focus to God and asking what He is teaching us through it all.

When you read the Old and New Testaments, seeking truly for spiritual understanding, it is impossible to sustain some of the false beliefs about God and His word. How long will we be distracted by outward appearance, judging by what we see rather than learning God’s way of looking at the heart?

God help us all!