We Don't Get to Choose - The Sin of Partiality
Greetings dear friends,
We're getting deeper into this little letter written by the half brother of Jesus. And the deeper we get, the more practical it gets. This week, we were forced to think about the sin of partiality and favoritism. In short, the Scriptures teach there is no room for it in the life of a believer and a local church.
I suppose the easy way to say it is "We don't get to choose who we love" ... or that we don't get to choose who we show kindness and compassion to. Jesus did it towards everyone He met, with the exception of that time he got mad and started flipping tables. But it could be argued that his actions were kind and loving in that he was aiming to teach them something more important. I digress ....
Here are some summary thoughts based upon the sermon I was privileged to deliver yesterday.
The Mirror of God's Love: Breaking Free from Favoritism
There's a subtle sin that lurks in the corridors of our hearts, one we rarely acknowledge but frequently practice. It doesn't announce itself with fanfare, and we've become so accustomed to it that we barely notice its presence. This sin is favoritism—the practice of judging people based on their external appearance, social status, or what they might offer us.
James 2:1-7 confronts this uncomfortable reality head-on, challenging us to examine how we truly see and treat others. The passage doesn't mince words: as followers of Jesus, we are called to see beyond social barriers and demonstrate the love of God to everyone, regardless of their background, wealth, or status.
The Sin We Don't See
Favoritism operates on multiple levels. Sometimes it's obvious—the wealthy person who receives preferential treatment while the poor are ignored. But often, it's far more subtle. It happens in the split-second judgments we make when encountering someone new. It's the subconscious categorization that occurs before we've even exchanged a single word.
Picture yourself walking into a store. You see three people: a well-dressed businessman in his fifties, a put-together mother of three in her thirties, and a young man with purple hair, dark clothes, and a nose ring. Be honest—did your mind automatically form opinions about each of them? Did you make assumptions about their character, their values, or their worth?
This is the insidious nature of partiality. Even when we don't act on these judgments, they exist in the deep recesses of our hearts and minds. They create distortions in how we view God's creation and His beloved children.
The biblical definition of favoritism literally means to "receive according to the face"—to make judgments about people based on external appearance. And here's the sobering truth: this tendency is ingrained in our sinful nature. We subconsciously discriminate because we're naturally inclined to attract people who we think might benefit us. It's selfish. It's wrong. And Scripture calls it evil.
Why Favoritism Matters
There are two critical reasons why Christians cannot and should not show favoritism:
First, favoritism disrespects humanity. When we judge others who aren't like us, we violate the command to "love your neighbor as yourself." This command requires us to treat others the same way we view ourselves—with dignity, respect, and compassion. Favoritism doesn't just manifest in external judgments; it often appears when we judge people on internal qualities like ethnicity, upbringing, or personality. We see someone different and automatically gravitate toward those more like us.
Second, favoritism dishonors God Himself. James 2:10 reminds us that "whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it." If we love our neighbor as ourselves, we're doing well. But if we show partiality, we've fallen into sin and dishonored our Creator.
The Gospel: The Great Equalizer
What do people who have dishonored God, broken the law, and fallen into sin really need? We all desperately need Christ and His forgiveness. We need the gospel.
The gospel is the answer because it's offered to all. It breaks through every racial and social barrier, crosses ethnic borders, and intrudes into the darkest hearts to bring them to repentance and salvation. The gospel doesn't discriminate. God's love exists for all.
This is beautifully illustrated in James 2:5: "Has God not chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom?" True spiritual wealth isn't determined by worldly standards—it's given and determined by God alone. In His kingdom, there's a reversal of earthly status. The poor become rich in faith, while earthly wealth means nothing without Him.
Jesus: The Perfect Example
Jesus never showed partiality. During His earthly ministry, He perfectly embodied humility in a way that uplifted the lowly. He associated with the marginalized, demonstrated that God's Kingdom is open to all, and did so with no regard for what He could gain from these relationships.
Christ calls those who identify with Him to a new standard of love and care. We're called to be agents of reconciliation and love, reflecting His character in a world obsessed with status and power.
Think about our celebrity-obsessed culture. We honor movie stars, influencers, and musicians, placing them on pedestals they don't deserve. We give them attention and adoration that borders on idolatry. Yet these individuals need God's grace just as much as anyone—perhaps more, because many haven't yet recognized their spiritual poverty.
Fighting Favoritism in Our Lives
How do we combat this deeply ingrained tendency? We start by seeing everyone through the equalizing lens of Jesus. When we properly recognize the supremacy of Christ over both rich and poor, we stop showing partiality. We learn to see all people as equals in His sight—people who need redemption and forgiveness.
Proverbs 22:2 declares, "The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the Maker of them all." God is the Creator of every human being, and He shows no favoritism in extending His grace.
We must align our hearts with God's holy justice. As 2 Thessalonians 1:5-7 reminds us, God will execute His righteous judgment. Those who choose this world and its wealth over God will face consequences, while those who are afflicted will find relief.
Remember Who You Were
Never forget your own story. You were once spiritually poor and needy. You had nothing to offer God. Yet He, who shows no favoritism, extended grace and mercy to you. He chose you based on nothing you could offer Him.
As Sam Allberry wisely noted, "Acceptable religion is inclined toward the needy, not away from them." We were once needy—and in many ways, we still are. But God changed our status by showing us grace.
The Mercy Connection
Here's a powerful truth: as we have received mercy, so we must extend mercy. If we do not extend mercy to others, we demonstrate that we haven't truly received mercy ourselves.
Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount that if we forgive others their wrongdoing, our heavenly Father will forgive us. When you're truly forgiven of your sins, you have a natural desire to forgive others.
The same principle applies to favoritism. When we truly grasp the unconditional love God has shown us—love that had nothing to do with our status, appearance, or what we could offer—we're compelled to extend that same unconditional love to others.
A Call to Action
As Christians, we must not only be aware of favoritism but actively strive to defy the cultural norms that prioritize wealth and power. Instead, we look to Jesus and promote a culture of honor, kindness, and fairness to all.
This week, examine your heart. Where do you show favoritism? Who do you overlook? Who do you elevate? Ask God to give you His eyes to see people as He sees them—as beloved creations made in His image, equally deserving of dignity, respect, and love.
The mirror of God's love reveals our sin, but it also shows us the path forward: a life marked by genuine equality, radical inclusion, and unconditional love for all.
Let's love and respect others like Christ would,
Bro. Tony
We're getting deeper into this little letter written by the half brother of Jesus. And the deeper we get, the more practical it gets. This week, we were forced to think about the sin of partiality and favoritism. In short, the Scriptures teach there is no room for it in the life of a believer and a local church.
I suppose the easy way to say it is "We don't get to choose who we love" ... or that we don't get to choose who we show kindness and compassion to. Jesus did it towards everyone He met, with the exception of that time he got mad and started flipping tables. But it could be argued that his actions were kind and loving in that he was aiming to teach them something more important. I digress ....
Here are some summary thoughts based upon the sermon I was privileged to deliver yesterday.
The Mirror of God's Love: Breaking Free from Favoritism
There's a subtle sin that lurks in the corridors of our hearts, one we rarely acknowledge but frequently practice. It doesn't announce itself with fanfare, and we've become so accustomed to it that we barely notice its presence. This sin is favoritism—the practice of judging people based on their external appearance, social status, or what they might offer us.
James 2:1-7 confronts this uncomfortable reality head-on, challenging us to examine how we truly see and treat others. The passage doesn't mince words: as followers of Jesus, we are called to see beyond social barriers and demonstrate the love of God to everyone, regardless of their background, wealth, or status.
The Sin We Don't See
Favoritism operates on multiple levels. Sometimes it's obvious—the wealthy person who receives preferential treatment while the poor are ignored. But often, it's far more subtle. It happens in the split-second judgments we make when encountering someone new. It's the subconscious categorization that occurs before we've even exchanged a single word.
Picture yourself walking into a store. You see three people: a well-dressed businessman in his fifties, a put-together mother of three in her thirties, and a young man with purple hair, dark clothes, and a nose ring. Be honest—did your mind automatically form opinions about each of them? Did you make assumptions about their character, their values, or their worth?
This is the insidious nature of partiality. Even when we don't act on these judgments, they exist in the deep recesses of our hearts and minds. They create distortions in how we view God's creation and His beloved children.
The biblical definition of favoritism literally means to "receive according to the face"—to make judgments about people based on external appearance. And here's the sobering truth: this tendency is ingrained in our sinful nature. We subconsciously discriminate because we're naturally inclined to attract people who we think might benefit us. It's selfish. It's wrong. And Scripture calls it evil.
Why Favoritism Matters
There are two critical reasons why Christians cannot and should not show favoritism:
First, favoritism disrespects humanity. When we judge others who aren't like us, we violate the command to "love your neighbor as yourself." This command requires us to treat others the same way we view ourselves—with dignity, respect, and compassion. Favoritism doesn't just manifest in external judgments; it often appears when we judge people on internal qualities like ethnicity, upbringing, or personality. We see someone different and automatically gravitate toward those more like us.
Second, favoritism dishonors God Himself. James 2:10 reminds us that "whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it." If we love our neighbor as ourselves, we're doing well. But if we show partiality, we've fallen into sin and dishonored our Creator.
The Gospel: The Great Equalizer
What do people who have dishonored God, broken the law, and fallen into sin really need? We all desperately need Christ and His forgiveness. We need the gospel.
The gospel is the answer because it's offered to all. It breaks through every racial and social barrier, crosses ethnic borders, and intrudes into the darkest hearts to bring them to repentance and salvation. The gospel doesn't discriminate. God's love exists for all.
This is beautifully illustrated in James 2:5: "Has God not chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom?" True spiritual wealth isn't determined by worldly standards—it's given and determined by God alone. In His kingdom, there's a reversal of earthly status. The poor become rich in faith, while earthly wealth means nothing without Him.
Jesus: The Perfect Example
Jesus never showed partiality. During His earthly ministry, He perfectly embodied humility in a way that uplifted the lowly. He associated with the marginalized, demonstrated that God's Kingdom is open to all, and did so with no regard for what He could gain from these relationships.
Christ calls those who identify with Him to a new standard of love and care. We're called to be agents of reconciliation and love, reflecting His character in a world obsessed with status and power.
Think about our celebrity-obsessed culture. We honor movie stars, influencers, and musicians, placing them on pedestals they don't deserve. We give them attention and adoration that borders on idolatry. Yet these individuals need God's grace just as much as anyone—perhaps more, because many haven't yet recognized their spiritual poverty.
Fighting Favoritism in Our Lives
How do we combat this deeply ingrained tendency? We start by seeing everyone through the equalizing lens of Jesus. When we properly recognize the supremacy of Christ over both rich and poor, we stop showing partiality. We learn to see all people as equals in His sight—people who need redemption and forgiveness.
Proverbs 22:2 declares, "The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the Maker of them all." God is the Creator of every human being, and He shows no favoritism in extending His grace.
We must align our hearts with God's holy justice. As 2 Thessalonians 1:5-7 reminds us, God will execute His righteous judgment. Those who choose this world and its wealth over God will face consequences, while those who are afflicted will find relief.
Remember Who You Were
Never forget your own story. You were once spiritually poor and needy. You had nothing to offer God. Yet He, who shows no favoritism, extended grace and mercy to you. He chose you based on nothing you could offer Him.
As Sam Allberry wisely noted, "Acceptable religion is inclined toward the needy, not away from them." We were once needy—and in many ways, we still are. But God changed our status by showing us grace.
The Mercy Connection
Here's a powerful truth: as we have received mercy, so we must extend mercy. If we do not extend mercy to others, we demonstrate that we haven't truly received mercy ourselves.
Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount that if we forgive others their wrongdoing, our heavenly Father will forgive us. When you're truly forgiven of your sins, you have a natural desire to forgive others.
The same principle applies to favoritism. When we truly grasp the unconditional love God has shown us—love that had nothing to do with our status, appearance, or what we could offer—we're compelled to extend that same unconditional love to others.
A Call to Action
As Christians, we must not only be aware of favoritism but actively strive to defy the cultural norms that prioritize wealth and power. Instead, we look to Jesus and promote a culture of honor, kindness, and fairness to all.
This week, examine your heart. Where do you show favoritism? Who do you overlook? Who do you elevate? Ask God to give you His eyes to see people as He sees them—as beloved creations made in His image, equally deserving of dignity, respect, and love.
The mirror of God's love reveals our sin, but it also shows us the path forward: a life marked by genuine equality, radical inclusion, and unconditional love for all.
Let's love and respect others like Christ would,
Bro. Tony
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