What Goes Around, Doesn't Necessarily Come Around

“What goes around, comes around” is a common phrase.  The phrase gets used so often, I can forget what it is actually communicating.  “What goes around, comes around” means this: if we do good things to/for others, we will eventually experience good fortune in return.  If we do bad things to others, we will eventually experience something bad in return.  In more basic terms, do good and get good.  Do bad and get bad.

The sentiment sounds nice and makes a certain amount of sense.  But, it simply doesn’t work with Christian belief.  Christians believe that what goes around does not come around.  All people have done bad things, but because of Jesus Christ, they do not necessarily get bad things in return.

In his letter to the church in Rome, the Apostle Paul writes, “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” So, according to the Christian faith, what goes around has been forgiven by God through the work of Jesus Christ.  What comes around in return is salvation by the grace of God.  For Christians, the do good, get good slogan doesn’t apply.  We are not justified by doing good.  We are justified by God’s grace.

As you go through the coming week, praise the Lord for the grace He has extended to you.  Appreciate His favor.  Recognize His faithfulness.  As you do, you will come to know a faithful God more.  You will also appreciate that what goes around, doesn’t necessarily come around.  That is good news.