Living without Partiality
We sing the words, “O to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer…” but we all struggle to be godly, to be like God. One attribute of God is that He treats all men alike, there is no partiality in Him. Absolutely no partiality!
Read these words from both testaments that proclaim His impartiality. “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality” (Deut. 10:17). “For there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, no partiality” (2 Chron. 19:7). “Then Peter opened his mouth and said, ‘In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality’” (Acts 10:34). “For there is no partiality with God” (Rom. 2:11).
James describes the real-life situation where the early church struggled to be like God. He described what can so easily happen when two distinctly separate individuals came to worship. One entered wearing a gold ring and fine clothing. The other was wearing shabby clothes. How did the church respond? They told the first to sit in the good place, and then told the second one to “…stand over there or sit down at my feet” (Jas. 2:2-3).
James then reminded his brethren the truth by asking a pointed question. “Has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which He has promised to those who love Him” (Jas. 2:5)? His conclusion? “If you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors” (Jas. 2:9).
Hear these words from the Holy Spirit of God. “But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality” (Col. 3:25). Paul called the Father, the Lord, and the elect angels as witnesses to encourage Christians “…to observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality” (1 Tim. 5:21). Peter urged those who receive his epistle to live as pilgrims and sojourners and call upon God “…who without partiality judges according to each one’s works” (1 Pet. 1:17).
Think of how these words apply to evangelism and the growth of the kingdom. Our world honors those who are educated, who have careers, who are “nice” people. If we focus on these as we seek to reach out to the lost, we are not being like that blessed Redeemer we sing about. Jesus chose “uneducated and ignorant and untrained men” (Acts 4:13), common laborers who made their living by fishing, a despised tax collector, and one who was a terrorist, a Zealot (Acts 1:13); and they were the foundation on which the church was built. As we seek to take the gospel to the lost world, do we show partiality? Christ does not just invite “nice” people to come to Him but those whose lives are filled with trouble (Matt. 11:28). Think about this!