HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 122
page A120
Fairness continued
• R O MA NS 2 :5 -6 | For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be
revealed. He will judge everyone according to what they have done.
• C O L O S S I A NS 3 :2 5 | But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you
have done. For God has no favorites.
Fairness is playing by the rules; justice is holding other people accountable when they don’t.
Is God fair when my circumstances say he’s not? Sometimes it seems as if he
favors one person above another.
• PSA L M 9 8 :9 | The Lord . . . is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with
justice, and the nations with fairness.
• R O MA NS 3 :2 6 | God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and
just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
If God gave us what we deserved, none of us would make it to heaven, for the Bible says
that all people have sinned against God (Romans 3:23). God is not only fair by offering us
another way to heaven, but he is also merciful by giving it to us freely. All we need to do is
accept it (Romans 6:23).
• E C C L E S I A S T E S 9 :1 1 | The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest
warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are
not necessarily wealthy. (See note on page 593.)
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• J O H N 3 :1 6 | “. . . so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
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God does not promise us equality of things here on earth, but he does promise that
all have an equal chance of eternal life in heaven, where there will be no more adverse
circumstances.
How does God expect us to be fair to others?
• Z E C H A R I A H 8 :1 6 | “But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts
in your courts that are just and that lead to peace.” (See note on page 848.)
In truthfulness and fairness we recognize the other person as an equal.
• 1 C H R O NI C L E S 2 1 :1 7 | And David said to God “. . . I am the one who has sinned and done
wrong! . . . Let your anger fall against me.”
We should not only accept the consequences of our actions, but should ask God that they
fall on us and not other innocent people who might be affected by our actions.
How can I treat others fairly?
• L E V I T I C U S 1 9 :1 5 | “Do not twist justice in legal matters by favoring the poor or being partial to the rich and powerful. Always judge people fairly.”
• MAT T H E W 2 0 :1 2 -1 5 | “ ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just
as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’ He answered one of
them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage?
Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. . . . Should you
be jealous because I am kind to others?’ ”
Try to treat people equally as much as possible. However, when this is not possible, you
still need to be equal in the way you love and value them.
• E X O DU S 2 3 :2 -3 | “When you are called to testify in a dispute, do not be swayed by the
crowd to twist justice. And do not slant your testimony in favor of a person just because
that person is poor.”
Try your best not to show favoritism. When you’re asked to tell the truth in order to settle a
dispute, tell it without bias. Avoid the temptation to hurt someone who doesn’t deserve it.
And also avoid the temptation to help a friend by withholding the truth.
• I SA I A H 3 3 :1 4 -1 5 | “Who can survive this all-consuming fire?” Those who are honest and
fair, who refuse to profit by fraud, who stay far away from bribes, who refuse to listen to
those who plot murder, who shut their eyes to all enticement to do wrong.