1. Why Isn’t Life Fair?
By: Craig Beyer

2. I. Introduction

3. II. Life is unfair! Why?
A. Criminals go unpunished
1. Ecclesiastes 8:11 (NLT) When a crime is not punished, people feel it is safe to do wrong.

4. B. The oppressed are not helped
1. Ecclesiastes 4:1 (NLT) Again I observed all the oppression (unjustly harshness) that takes place in our world. I saw the tears of the oppressed, with no one to comfort them. The oppressors have great power, and the victims are helpless.
C. Politicians are oftentimes unethical

5. 1. Ecclesiastes 5:8 (NLT) If you see a poor person being oppressed by the powerful and justice being miscarried throughout the land, don’t be surprised! For every official is under orders from higher up, and matters of justice only get lost in red tape and bureaucracy.

6. D. Righteous people are not rewarded
1. Ecclesiastes 8:14 (NLT) And this is not all that is meaningless in our world. In this life, good people are often treated as though they were wicked, and wicked people are often treated as though they were good. This is so meaningless!

7. 2. Ecclesiastes 7:15 (NLT) In this meaningless life, I have seen everything, including the fact that some good people die young and some wicked people live on and on.

8. E. The “good guy” doesn’t always win
1. Ecclesiastes 9:11 (NLT) I have observed something else in this world of ours. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise are often poor, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy.

9. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives
And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being at the right place at the right time.

10. III. Why does God allow injustice in the world?
A. Because He gives us the freedom to choose
1. Genesis 1:26a Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.”

11. a. “. . . in Our image . . .” – One of the things that means is He gave us the ability to choose
2. With choice comes consequences
B. Because judgment is coming one day.
1. Eccl. 3:17 (NLT) I said to myself, “In due season God will judge everyone, both good and bad, for all their deeds.”

12. C. God wants to show us we need a Savior
1. Ecclesiastes 7:20 (NLT) There is not a single person in all the earth who is always good and never sins.
2. Ecclesiastes 3:18 (NLT) Then I realized that God allows people to continue in their sinful ways so he can test them. That way, they can see for themselves that they are no better than animals.

13. 3. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
a. You and I need a Savior, not justice!

14. IV. What do you do when life is unfair?
A. Accept it as a fact of life.
1. John 16:33b “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
2. You cannot control the circumstances in your life, but you can control your reaction to them.

15. B. Do the right thing anyway.
1. Is. 1:17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless; Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.
2. Rom. 12:17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men.

16. C. Wait for God’s reward
1. II Corinthians 4:17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.

17. V. Conclusion