God isn't Fair!

God isn't fair!

Have you heard someone say that before?

Or maybe one of these:

How can a loving God allow that young father to die?

Doesn't God see that my marriage is miserable?

Why doesn't God do something about my rebellious child?

Why won't God just take these temptations away?

We've probably all asked those questions at some time. And maybe someone reading this is asking one of those questions right now.

While asking the question is not wrong, our response to the question reveals our understanding of God.

How can a loving God allow that young father to die? The father dies, so God must not be loving.

Doesn't God see that my marriage is miserable? It doesn't appear that God is doing anything about it, so He must not see what's happening.

Why doesn't God do something about my rebellious child? The child is still rebellious, so God must not be able to do anything about it.

Why won't God just take these temptations away? The temptations are constantly there, so it must not matter to God, or He can't do anything about it.

Do you see a common train of thought in the conclusions that are drawn?

In each of those examples, we are developing our theology, our understanding of God, based on our experiences.

God didn't do...so He must be...

And we can do the same in the opposite direction:

God answered my prayers, so He must be a caring God.

God restored my marriage, so He must be a gracious God.

We might think that the positive direction is better, because we end up understanding God.

But actually, it's just as wrong.

God is caring and gracious, no matter what He does. Even if He doesn't answer my prayers the way I want.

God is also omnipotent, omniscient, loving, sovereign and holy - even if we don't experience that.

Our understanding of God has to come from His revelation of Himself to us in His Word. If it comes from any experience, the risk is that it's bad theology.

We are called to "walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor 5:7).

We can not interpret our lives based on our experiences.

Nor can we understand God, build our theology, based on our experiences.

Experiences are just that - experiences. Things that happen.

God doesn't change based on our experiences. Nor can our experiences be used as a tool for understanding God.

The only way to know God is through His Word. We have to live by faith, trusting in the promises and revelation of God's character found in His Word.

Regardless of the circumstances of the day.

And that is a great comfort!

What if God were like everyone imagined Him to be at a particular time?

What if God acted the way I thought He should act in every situation?

What kind of a God would that be?

Not the sovereign, holy, omnipotent, omniscient, loving, caring and wise God of the Bible.