What does it mean that the rain falls on the just and the unjust?

"That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven" (the J.N.D. Translation gives "sons" rather than "children"). The Lord here presents a high standard. As we have already seen in our study of verses 9 and 16 the word "son" in the "Sermon on the Mount" has a practical meaning. The Lord Jesus is not speaking of the gospel here or how to become a child or son of God. Rather, He shows His disciples, who were already born again, how they could be imitators of their Father in heaven by loving their enemies and therefore practically demonstrate that they were His sons. The proper sonship of the New Testament was only revealed after the redemptive work of Christ had been accomplished (Rom. 8:14-15; Gal. 4:5-7; Eph. 1:5).

The Lord Jesus first of all directs His disciples to love their enemies. By doing so they would demonstrate that they are sons of their Father in heaven. He then reminds them of the attitude of the Creator towards all men's attitude towards men. "He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." It is true that the love of God to His creatures found its highest expression in giving His beloved Son (John 3:16). But everyone who wants to can recognise His undiscriminating love towards all in that He makes His sun to rise both on the evil and the good every morning and sends the vital rain on both the just and the unjust. He has the right to condemn the evil and the unjust. Instead of doing so He shows them His goodness during their life on earth in the same way that He does to the good and the just. The love of the eternal Creator-God for His enemies could not be manifested more touchingly. The disciples of Jesus ought to follow this example. To prevent any misunderstanding let it be mentioned however that God does not show His love without distinction. God is a Saviour (JND: Preserver) of all men, specially of those that believe (1 Tim. 4:10). Believers too are invited to love one another (to have brotherly love) and to love all men (to have love for their fellow-men) (1 Thess. 3:12; Gal. 6:10). And the moment will come when those who despised the goodness of God which was meant to lead them to repentance, will receive eternal punishment.

A precious thought in connection with the meal-table is that the thanksgiving is on the basis of redemption, for we do not receive God's gifts on the original ground of creation, but because of the cross of Christ. God could not, as righteous, bestow the smallest benefit upon a sinner, unless His righteousness in doing so were satisfied. Therefore it is on account of the propitiation of Christ that our daily mercies come to us; and indeed not only to us, but to the world. This is the basis on which God "maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." The man of the world little dreams that he owes his food and raiment and every good that he enjoys to the despised atonement of Christ; but God would be exhibiting indulgence to sin if it were otherwise. It is in this regard that "Christ … is the propitiation … for the whole world" (1 John 2:2). Men are continued in life upon the earth, and afforded the free use of God's magnificent creation (magnificent, though marred), because of the propitiation of Christ; and it is in this sense that God is Saviour (Preserver) of all men, specially of those who believe (1 Tim. 4:10). Temporal salvation, not eternal, is what this text refers to.

All this was pointed at poor Job, but not a particle of it was real. It was nothing but evil surmises. So, he describes his case in very strong terms, which I need not follow — all his inward trouble, and the being forced to give up what he had swallowed down. "He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter." That is, Zophar recognised that God delights in doing good. Yes, He does; and not merely to the righteous, but to the unthankful and evil. Is it that He has any complacency in them? Quite the contrary, but out of His own goodness, as our Lord put it so simply and so grandly, He causes His sun to shine upon the evil as well as upon the good, and He sends His rain upon the just as well as upon the unjust. Well, before all I say now, he is a most wicked man, the greatest enemy of God alive on the earth, who profits by all these benefits, and never thinks of God at all. There he is, so utterly insensible — more insensible possibly than the brute. There is less gratitude than with even the poor irrational brute who owns his master's kindness and care. This is indeed, an awful thing in a man. You might find men of the greatest education and of the highest ability, who are like a stock or a stone before the goodness of God. That you have now. The New Testament has come in and made it all plain. One word accounts for everything — unbelief.

Such love and piety, to be of value, must be no mere form but a living reality, that they might be sons of their Father in the heavens; for such is their place of dignity. And what a pattern He sets! For He makes His sun rise on evil and good, and sends rain on just and unjust. What rich grace in the first comparison, and what faithful goodness in the second!

*We never read of the blessed Lord asking for money, or for anything but a glass of water from a poor sinner. He trusted His Father's love and care too well for that; and as if to teach His dear dependent ones a useful lesson in this way, when ae you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you, that ye may be (in character) the children of your Father which is in heaven, for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. He makes no difference in these respects in His favours. The evil despise His benefits, the unjust give Him no thanks, but His sun rises, His rain descends upon the most unworthy. So are we called to be perfect as our Father which is in heaven is perfect. The wicked borroweth and payeth not again, we are told, but the righteous showeth mercy and giveth, ([Ps. 37:21), beautifully harmonizing with the God who is rich in mercy, who has shown us that mercy in quickening us who were dead in our sins. (Eph. 2. See also Luke 6:30-36.) Again, he that hath pity on the poor lendeth to the Lord, and that which he hath given will He pay him again. (Prov. 19:17.)

A. Why, then, did you cite these passages, as though they supported this doctrine of perfection? But I turn now to the third passage: "Be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect," Matt. 5:48. Observe there is a difference in the expression. It is not said, Be ye perfect before me, or, with thy God, as it had been said to Abraham and to the Israelites; because the name of Father reveals to us the fulness of grace. According to that precious name we are already children, accepted in Christ as Christ is accepted by the Father; we are already made acceptable in the Beloved, righteous before God as Jesus Christ is righteous, loved as Jesus Christ is loved. Now it is not said, Present to God a character of perfection, so that by this means ye may be accepted and made well-pleasing to Him; but, Ye are the children of your heavenly Father: shew forth, therefore, His character in the world; "for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good; and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." He acts according to grace, and not according to law; ye saved sinners, ye are the proof of it; be His witnesses. The publicans love those who love them, but your Father loves His enemies. Act by this rule; and "be ye perfect, as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." It is not said, Be ye perfect with Him, or before Him (as though you were without sin), but as He, act in love towards your enemies. I therefore repeat, that the question here is, not whether or not sin is in the flesh, but what is that principle which ought to regulate the conduct of the children of God, in contrast with the principle of law or of natural justice. But if by being "perfect as my heavenly Father" is to be understood the absence of sin from my nature — if it really means that I am perfectly to resemble Him in this respect, then, as perfection in us, according to you, still leaves things which expose us to eternal condemnation, it would be the same with the perfection of God — an impiety and absurdity too gross to delay us for a moment!

Thirdly, it is said (Matt. 5:48), "Be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." We at once observe a difference in the expressions. It is not said, Be perfect "before me," or "with thy God," as was said to Abraham and to the Israelites, because the name of Father reveals to us the fullness of grace. According to this sweet name they were already children, accepted in Christ as Christ is accepted of the Father. They were already made accepted in the Beloved; righteous before God as Christ is righteous; loved as Jesus is loved. Now it is not said, Present to God a character of perfection, such that you should be accepted of Him through this means, and that you should be well-pleasing to Him; but you are the children of your heavenly Father — therefore display His character to the world. "For he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." He acts according to His grace, and not according to the law: you saved sinners, you are and ought to be witnesses of it. The publicans love those who love them, but your heavenly Father loves His enemies. Act according to this rule, and be perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. It is not said, Be perfect before Him, or with Him, as if you were without sin, but like Him, act in love towards your enemies.

The first of these precepts which bear upon our especial subject is found in the "Sermon on the Mount." Our Lord says, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy: but I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father who is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect." (Matt. 5:43-48.)

The fundamental principle of this scripture is, that God's children should be His representatives in this world, that their very conduct should proclaim what they are, and to whom they belong. This is the force of the words, "that ye maybe the children of your Father who is in heaven;" i.e. acting in such a way that their moral likeness to the Father will be seen. The illustration the Lord uses makes this apparent. Men say, "Love your neighbours and hate your enemies;" but in contrast with this the Lord says, "Love your enemies." In these two things indeed the heart of man and the heart of God are revealed. Man may shrink from accepting this as true of himself, that he loves his neighbours and hates his enemies; but it is the exact expression of the flesh, of man's corrupt heart. It is not in man to love those that hate him. But God, on the other hand, has told out His heart in the gift of His beloved Son to a world that denied and crucified Him. As the apostle Paul writes," God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." It was when we were enemies that we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son. This was love peculiar to God, love going out in blessed activity towards those who had nothing in them worthy of love, rather everything to turn it aside; love therefore that flowed out from the depths of God's own heart, because, being love, He delights to love, and therewith to bless the objects on which it rests. It is this same love — love of the same character — that is to distinguish God's children. Even the worst of men will love those that love them, and salute their brethren; for that is a selfish love, a love which spends itself on those from whom it expects a return and a recompense. This is human and not divine love; and hence the Lord says to His own, "I say unto you, Love your enemies. … Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father [which is in heaven]* is perfect."

He gives the increase of the earth in answer to man's toil upon it. Yea, every good and perfect gift comes down from Him, and He continues to give though the multitudes never so much as thank Him for His gifts. He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust, and He is kind to the unthankful and the evil, and He turns the very miseries that result from man's inhumanity and injustice to one another to the good of all those who turn to Him, so that their sorrows often become their greatest blessings. His goodness is manifested in His command to men to repent, to turn from their own ways that can only involve them in everlasting ruin to Him who alone can do them good. It makes itself eloquent as He beseeches men to be reconciled to Him; it shines forth from the face of the Saviour who sits at His right hand, but who was once crucified at Calvary that men might believe that God loves them. “For God commendeth His Love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”

God comes out of the light in which He dwells to exercise His providential care over His creatures. He cares for every sparrow. It has but little value in the eyes of men, but not one falls to the ground without His notice. He does not forget one of them (Matt. 10:29; Luke 12:6). He "maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just, and on the unjust" (Matt. 5:45). He opens His hand, the desire of every living thing is satisfied (Ps. 145:16). The least need of the least of His creatures is provided for, and the supply is superabundant. But if, on the one hand, God witnesses to Himself in giving by sun and rain and other forces "fruitful seasons," filling men's "hearts with food and gladness" (Acts 14:17); on the other hand, by "sweeping rain" (Prov. 28:3) and the burning heat of the sun, He destroys the food of both man and beast (James 1:11).