Life is Fair?

“There is a just man who perishes in his righteousness
And there is a wicked man who prolongs life in his wickedness.
...For there is not a just man on earth who does good
And does not sin." — Ecclesiastes 7:15, 20

“Life is so unfair” is the refrain heard from every child that ever lived. Ever. If you were unfortunate enough to live in my house, it was always met with the retort, “Life is fair! Because it is unfair to everyone!”

Few things ruffle our feathers more than unfairness. Someone cutting the line, or cutting you off in traffic. Someone getting a better raise for less work. Or even someone getting a larger piece of cake. We struggle when we see it. We bristle when it happens to us. We just want life to be fair! Or do we?

I certainly do not! I want it to be unfair!

Sure, I struggle with perceived unfairness. And with passages like that found in Ecclesiastes where the righteous man perishes and the wicked man prolongs his life. I struggle when I see others taken advantage of around me. But I often forget that “there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin.” (v.20)

That’s me! And I do not want the fair reward for my sin!

What is truly unfair?

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,…” (1 Peter 3:18)

What is truly fair?

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

While the verse from Ecclesiastes is not necessarily a prophecy verse, it certainly applies to fairness. We all think we want fairness until we realize the only righteous man to ever live had His life cut short for us. In doing so, He prolonged the life of the wicked (for no man does good and does not sin). He did so in effort to save those who are perishing (you and me). That anyone who would believe in Him and receive Him as their Lord and Savior might be saved.

He took upon Himself, unfairly, the penalty for our sinfulness. We, in Christ, receive unfairly the just reward for His righteousness. Life is fair! He received what He did not deserve and we receive what we do not deserve: forgiveness, life, acceptance, hope, righteousness and every spiritual blessing!

Fairness is only found in the finished work of Christ, not the world. But it is truly unfair to everyone! It is grace. Grace is not based on merit. It is unfairly bestowed on those who do not deserve it. Yet, each person must choose. The same grace is extended to every person on earth, but only those who receive it benefit. Only those who walk in it experience it. It is up to each person to choose.

So, let me ask you: do you want life to be fair to YOU (based on your merit)? Or do you want the fairness that can only be found in Christ? Do you want the fairness due for your efforts? Or do you want the fairness due from the finished work of Christ?

It is all about Him and not about us. As hard as it is to remember this in the stark reality of the unfair world, we must remember that it was Christ being treated unfairly that made us fair in the eyes of God.

Life is fair because it is unfair to everyone! Praise God that Christ unfairly took the penalty for my sin that I might walk in His reward. And may that truth give us all the grace to endure the unfair world in which we live. And perhaps extend a little grace ourselves.

© 2025 Warren Martin. All rights Reserved.