Asking the Wrong Questions

Psalm 53:1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity;
there is none who does good.

 

 The question is often asked, "Why does God allow good people to suffer?"  Yet, this Psalm indicates that there is none who does good.  How can this be?  We see people who are kind hearted, who do good deeds all the time.  Are they not good people? Why do people like this suffer?  And why does the Bible lump all of mankind into the same category as the fool?  (Romans 3:12)

Questions like these accuse God of being unfair. What we don't think about is the fact that if God were "fair" then He would not have sent His Son Jesus to take the punishment for our sin. By  human standards, this was completely unfair. 

God is not "fair" as we think of fairness.  God is just and righteous. He required a just punishment for sin because He is holy and can not allow sin in His presence in heaven.

Another reason we ask questions like the ones above is because we are using the wrong standard for good. We compare people with people and come to the conclusion that there are good people and bad people based on their actions. Good people shouldn't have to suffer and bad people should be punished. But the standard for good set forth in the Bible is God.  Against the back drop of God's righteousness there is none that do good.

Instead of asking, "Why does God allow good people to suffer?", we should ask, "Why does God choose to show mercy on anyone?" 

I think the words to the song "Justice for All" says it best:

Justice For All

by Ron Larson and Bob Kaufflin

how many times have we cried
 out to God
saying life just isn't fair
complaining we don't get what
 we deserve
wondering if He cares

somehow we're not so amazed anymore
by the grace that has
brought us this far
but we feel God owes us
explanations
for the grievances in
our hearts

but there is justice for all
measured by One
when innocence received
the wrath
for the wrongs of everyone
justice for all
so the guilty could be spared
and be thankful that this life
is not fair

grace is given and grace
is withheld
but grace is never owed
and out of His goodness He
gives where He wills
not where He is told

where were we when the world
was formed
shaped by the sound of
His voice
and have we forgotten,
forgiveness is free,
but it's offered to us by
His choice?

do you think you've been
mistreated
and more than paid the cost?
then gaze upon the Son of God
in the shadow of the cross.