GOD’S JUSTICE AND ELECTION

ROMANS 9:14–15

What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion”

(Romans 9:14–15).

We can distinguish between injustice and “non-justice.” Let us use the term non-justice to mean everything that is outside the circle of what justice is. Injustice means what is contrary or opposed to justice. Injustice is one form of non-justice, but mercy is also a form of non-justice. God is not unjust when He saves us in spite of our sins. He has not done an injustice. But He has not given us the justice we deserve either. He has chosen to be non-justly merciful to us.

Is God Unfair?

People often have problems with the doctrine of predestination because they feel it makes God unfair. It does not seem fair for God to choose some and reject others. It seems fairer to say that God saves those who choose Him, and rejects those who reject Him.

The problem with this argument is that it is based on an inadequate view of human depravity. Left to ourselves, none of us would ever choose God. As we have seen in previous lessons, the Bible says that we are dead in sin. How can a dead man do anything, let alone choose God? The Bible tells us that the desires of our hearts are only wicked continually (Genesis 6:5; Jeremiah 17:9), so that we never, ever would choose God on our own. Jesus said that unless we are born again first, we cannot see, let alone enter the kingdom of God (John 3:3). Jesus said that none of us is able to come to Him unless the Father acts first to draw us (John 6:44).

If God did not act first, no one would be saved. God has chosen to save some people and bypass others. We don’t know the reason for this, but He does. It is His decision, based on His nature, character, and plan. We cannot understand His reasons, but we can be grateful that He chose to save us.

CORAM DEO

Sometimes we think that God bypasses people who really want to be saved, and saves people who don’t want to be. That is impossible. Anyone who wants to be saved will be saved, because it is God who initially gives him the desire for salvation. As you pray today, thank God that He decided to make you one of His children. Consider what your life would be like today if God had not intervened.

For further study: Exodus 33:12–20; Ephesians 2:1–10

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