We are not victims

I often hear it said that if there was a God, He would not allow bad things to happen to good people. Surely, if God were real, He would not allow all this injustice to occur, right? Right from the start, though, there is a major error in perspective. We must look at this in the right context. We must see clearly our true identity. For none are righteous (Romans 3:9-19) and we have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). No one is good, but God alone (Mark 10:18). It is made clear in the Bible that we are transgressors of the law; guilty criminals condemned to die (Romans 6:23).

From what we see written in Scripture, the question is not why do bad things happen to good people, but why have we done everything wrong against a good God. We stand justly condemned before a holy, righteous and just God. We are not innocent victims of tragedy, but instead receive what we justly deserve. When one man sins against another, he adds to his own guilt, but the other has not received any sort of injustice. One guilty criminal acts against another. The offense is not against his fellow man, but against God and His justice. That is why David says that he sinned against God only (Psalm 51:4). Does that in some way reduce our guilt, if the other party received what was ultimately deserved? By no means! In fact, since our offense is solely against God, our guilt is even greater.

In light of this, we must not perceive ourselves as victims. The only victim of our injustice is God alone, and He will see that justice is carried out. So, when we sin against our neighbor, it is not our neighbor who we are actually sinning against; rather we are sinning against God Himself. In this, the whole world sins against God, and so is justly condemned. We get what we deserve, but God has never done anything wrong. All of mankind has sought to rob God of His glory – following in the footsteps of the devil, seeking to establish our own personal throne above God (Isaiah 14:13-14). And we dare say that God is unjust in His condemnation of mankind? By all means, humanity as a whole justly deserves the eternal fires of hell. God is right in His judgments, and there is nothing we can say against them.

Yet, while God is the victim of our transgressions, He is also victor over them in Christ Jesus. For while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). It was Christ who was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquity (Isaiah 53:5). Upon Him the wrath of God was poured; the wrath that was due our sin (Isaiah 53:10). Jesus Christ is the propitiation of our sin; in Him the wrath of God is satisfied. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ (Romans 8:1). For on that cross, our sin was borne; and all injustice is brought to an end.

Be forewarned, though, that our justification is in Christ alone; there is no other name by which we are saved (John 14:6, Acts 4:12). For whoever refuses to believe in Christ stands condemned already (John 3:18). Whoever rejects Christ rejects the blood that was shed for him; upon him now is not only the guilt for his own deeds, but also must he bear responsibility for Christ's death – a charge of terrible consequence. Therefore, believe on the lord Jesus Christ and be saved (Acts 16:31). For it is by grace we are saved, through faith, given of God; that we may believe and be saved, not by our own works, but by the merit of Christ and His death upon the cross (Ephesians 2:8).