That’s Not Fair

Romans 9

10 Not only that, but when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our ancestor Isaac— 11 even before they were born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose in election would stand, not by works but by his calling)— 12  it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger,” 13 just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! 15 For he says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then, it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy. 17 For the scripture says to Pharaoh: “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may demonstrate my power in you, and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then, God has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden.

19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who has ever resisted his will?” 20 But who indeed are you—a mere human being—to talk back to God? Does what is molded say to the molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special use and another for ordinary use? (NET)

As you read this passage, the thought has probably occurred to you, “This doesn’t seem fair.” Why is this truth so difficult to accept? Whatever happened to the idea of “everyone getting a fair shake?”  Since God’s word is the plumb line by which all things are judged, we must ask ourselves, where has our thinking gone askew. Has our idea of fairness been prejudiced or do we not understand the concept of fairness.

Let’s dig a bit into how we perceive fairness and how we discern what is right or wrong. Man’s senses are quite poor in discerning absolutes. However, our power of discernment increases greatly when there is a point of reference. Those who have shopped for a diamond understand this principle. One of the criteria of a good diamond is its color, the whiter the better. Looking at a mediocre diamond by itself, even if held up to a bright light, will appear to be white. When the jeweler places that same diamond against a white background, the yellowish tint of the diamond is apparent. Next to the white point of reference, we can easily discern the yellow tint of the diamond. It should not be surprising that we judge ourselves against others instead of judging ourselves against a standard. Our sense of what is fair, or what is just, is relative. When we compare ourselves against others, the end result is that we often “smell like a rose.” It’s a sure bet particularly if we are the one who choose the person against whom we compare ourself. A relative standard can also be used to judge others and not just used in judging ourselves. For example, a friend tells you that he returns to the supermarket because the cashier missed scanning a candy bar. You judged your friend to be a saint because in the same situation, you would not have returned to the supermarket. Turning the table, the friend may judge himself to be righteous because you said that you would not have returned to the store. Relativity distorts our sense of fairness and justice.

Our society is built on meritocracy. We place a very high value on one’s ability much more than one’s family name. That’s why the self-made man/woman is the classic American hero. Someone who uses their brains, skills, and hard work to achieve success is valued much more that someone who inherited wealth, or someone who comes from good family name. We are judged by our ability, talents, and hard work. Therefore the fact God chose Jacob over Esau, while the two were still in the womb, is difficult for us to accept. Neither had the opportunity to show their character or worth, but God had already chosen. This concept of meritocracy really hits home in the parable of the laborers in the vineyard.

For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. ² And after agreeing with the workers for the standard wage, he sent them into his vineyard. ³ When it was about nine o’clock in the morning, he went out again and saw others standing around in the marketplace without work. ⁴ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and I will give you whatever is right.’ ⁵ So they went. When he went out again about noon and three o’clock that afternoon, he did the same thing. ⁶ And about five o’clock that afternoon he went out and found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why are you standing here all day without work?’ ⁷ They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go and work in the vineyard too.’ ⁸ When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages starting with the last hired until the first.’ ⁹ When those hired about five o’clock came, each received a full day’s pay. ¹⁰ And when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more. But each one also received the standard wage. ¹¹ When they received it, they began to complain against the landowner, ¹² saying, ‘These last fellows worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us who bore the hardship and burning heat of the day.’ ¹³ And the landowner replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am not treating you unfairly. Didn’t you agree with me to work for the standard wage? ¹⁴ Take what is yours and go. I want to give to this last man the same as I gave to you. ¹⁵ Am I not permitted to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous? Matt. 20 (NET)

This parable is a blow to our sense of meritocracy and to our ego. The idea of earning one’s wages is as American as apple pie. Those who work hard should be rewarded and those who worked longer should be paid more. The parable of God’s grace does not sit well with our ego because our world operates on the principle of merit – “Is it deserved?” Meritocracy distorts our sense of fairness. Before God we have no merit.

As mentioned earlier, we operate in the realm of relativity. By definition, this means we do not, or rarely do, reference God’s absolute standard. We often think of fairness in the context that all involved are on the same plane, i.e. a group of people with common affinity, or in the broadest sense, mankind.  By doing so, we leave God out, we forego His standard. Rarely do we use God’s standard to measure our self or use it to define justice, fairness, right, and wrong. There is a good reason we don’t reference God’s absolute standard. Against God’s absolute standard, no one makes the grade. Everyone fails, no one stands. There is no boasting, no pride. We can only cast ourselves at His mercy and hope for compassion. Unlike meritocracy, it does nothing for the ego. In light of God’s standard, the idea of our deservedness falls deafly silent.

The reality today is quite different. Ignorant of God’s standard or, more likely, the denial of it, deservedness reverberates in our egocentric chamber of daily life.  Has the world ever been more narcissistic? We are constantly fed lies by the media and advertising, stroking the Adamic ego that we deserve this or deserve that. If our neighbor has a large house, why shouldn’t we have one as well? What others have, I deserve. What was once a luxury is now my right. We’ve fallen head over heels in love with ourselves. We are giving Narcissus a run for his money.Having thought little of God’s standard, our sense of justice and fairness flows with the times and is carried by the prevailing winds of our day.

The absolute sovereignty of God is not taught much in churches today. The idea that Someone, other than me, has rightful control over me, i.e. do to me as He pleases, is unfathomable. Since He is the Creator, and we are his creature, we can offer no rebuttal to Him. Before Him, we can only remain silent and fall on our knees in obeisance. In contrast, before man, the verbiage is unceasing as we compare ourselves and defend ourselves. We can always find a way to justify ourselves. . . and we are accustomed to doing just that. Regardless of the position of the person to whom we justify ourselves – our boss, a police officer, the president — our self-defense is as certain as the sunrise. Given that we seldom think of God’s sovereignty, much less mediate on it, the passage below from Romans 9 is borderline shocking.

Does what is molded say to the molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special use and another for ordinary use? Rom 9:21-22

Finally, the concept of equality affects how we view this passage in Romans. Equality, as understood by most today, is everyone having the same privileges, the same material goods, the same opportunities, the same treatment from others. Of course, our country is founded on this principle. The first sentence in the Declaration of Independence is well known.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

So the fact that God shows grace to one and not another fails the equality test. That He hardens some and shows compassion to others fails the equality test. That some are free in the New Testament times while others are bond-servants fails the equality test. That God made some to be kings and others to be commoners fails the equality test. With the incessant drumbeat of equality, it’s no wonder that many find these verses troubling. The reality is that some are born into wealth and some into poverty. Some are born athletic while others are clumsy. Some are born with birth defects. Some are short while others are tall. Regardless of what the Declaration of Independence says, people are not created equal nor is it self-evident. In fact, quite the contrary. I see more evidence that people are not created equal.

The Bible does not teach that all men are created equal, contrary to what Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence. The Bible does speak of equality, specifically our equality in Christ – we are all sons/daughters of God. There is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, free nor slave. Paul is not denying that people are different, but that our identity as sons and daughters in Christ supersedes our differences.

Thus the law had become our guardian until Christ, so that we could be declared righteous by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. 26 For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female—for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise. Gal. 3:24-29 NET

Even though we are different — rich, poor, tall, short, male, female — our love for Christ controls how we treat one another. We are to love one another and consider others are more important that ourselves.

What now?

We must seek God and meditate on His character and His nature. To Him we are accountable and by His standard we are judged, but through the blood of Christ. It doesn’t matter how we compare to one another. Other people are there not as a standard for comparison, but as objects for us to love. We must not lose sight of who God is – His holiness, His majesty, His sovereignty, His compassion, His grace, His mercy. We can stand before God only because of Christ’s work. We must spend less time on social media and more time before His throne. This world and its systems do not endear us to God. As Christ said, we must be both a dove and a serpent; we must be in the world but not of it. We must fix our eyes on Jesus, not on self.