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Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
God speaks through James: “My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, 'You sit here in a good place,' and say to the poor man, 'You stand there,' or, 'Sit here at my footstool,' have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?” James 2.1-4).
Today's focus concerns the forbidden concept of partiality! While some have suggested that the Old Testament is a book of Thou Shalt Not's and the New Testament is only positive in its presentation, the facts will not bear out that idea. It is absolutely clear that the Christian is told, “Thou shalt not practice partiality!” So that we need not be guilty, it is needful that we understand what is meant by the word partial(ity).
There are only five (5) verses in the New Testament that use the word (or its root) that is translated partiality here in James 2.4. This being the case, it is easy to get the “full flavor” of what this word means in the New Testament. To do so, we will quote the four (4) other verses (excluding James 2.1) where the word is found. “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. (Romans 2.11). “And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.” (Ephesians 6.9). “But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.” (Colossians 3.25).
Why is the Christian forbidden from showing partiality? The answer is simple; God shows no partiality! To be partial is to act in an ungodly manner. Each of the texts cited (all five of them) forbids the showing of favoritism when it comes to the value of man, the opportunities that God affords him regarding salvation, and the ultimate accountability that all men have toward God. In such matters God is not partial; all men are of equal worth – period! That was the context of Peter's statement in Acts 10 when he finally realized that God intended the doors of Christianity to be opened to the Gentile in the very same manner as they were open to the Jew. That is Paul's sentiment in Romans 2.10-11 where he affirms that anyone and everyone (Jew and Gentile) who works that which is good will receive the reward of the righteous. On the flip side of the coin, in Paul's other epistles that mention the word partiality, he affirms that eternal judgment will be executed without any respect of persons (partiality).
Partiality manifests itself first in the mind of an individual. For whatever reason, the soul of one man is esteemed to be of more worth than that of another man. Then partiality manifests itself in other ways. Maybe it can be seen in something as seemingly insignificant as offering a rich man a better seat in the worship assembly (that was the precise illustration that James used; see James 2.2-4). James asked a rhetorical question should his illustration be indicative of the actions of a believer; here is the question: “Have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?”
Before you and I decide that partiality is not an issue with us, we would do well to search our souls for the right answer to that question. Partiality condemns souls to hell! We must answer honestly if we are to have any hope of pleasing God. (Continued)
Questions:
1. What was the context when Peter declared that God is not a respecter of persons?
2. Will any accountable person escape judgment because he is in some way “special” in the sight of God? If God is not partial, can the faithful Christian be partial in the sense in which we have defined it?
3. Are people who show spiritual favoritism “judges with evil thoughts?” (see James 2.4).
4. How important is it that we honestly examine ourselves to determine if we harbor the evil of partiality in our hearts? Is there any excuse for partiality as James used and illustrated the word?
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