Romans 2:11 (NKJV) 11 For there is no partiality with God.
Partiality elevates a person or exalts someone strictly on a superficial, external basis such as appearance, race, rank, or social status. It can also be defined as favouring someone simply because of their position, wealth, fame, influence, and popularity. It is an inclination to select one group, view or opinion over alternatives, especially considered as an injustice. It’s an immoral and unacceptable standard of judgment that leads to discrimination. Partiality discriminates against the poor in favour of the wealthy in the church.
Partiality has now taken its root deep even in the church. We can witness this happening in God’s Holy habitation, which has led to division and friction among church leaders and the congregation. What is transpiring in the world is now taking place in the church. Christians are being conformed to the patterns of this world instead of being transformed. It can be due to church leaders and workers’ preferential behaviour and ungodly motives. They display their self-seeking desires and demands in front of the sheep. This has led to leadership battles, disputes, ideological differences, spiritual blindness, spiritual deafness, spiritual stagnation, division, hatred, betrayal, and discrimination in the church.
Partiality paints a bad picture of the body of Christ. Partiality and pride go hand in hand; they are inseparable, where partiality is mentioned, pride never lacks, and the Bible says God resists the proud. It is God’s nature to be just. He can’t be anything but impartial. Deuteronomy 10:17 (NKJV) 17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. That’s the true nature and attribute of God. God doesn’t delight in partiality. As brethren, we shouldn’t entertain or engage in our midst partiality in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Lord of glory. Are we not deceiving ourselves by not remembering that God is not mocked? Anything we plant, we reap the same measure, and nothing is hidden from His eyes. He sees even the minutest deeds in private.
Acts 10:34 (NKJV) Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth, I perceive that God shows no partiality. The confession of Peter while preaching to Cornelius’ household, he sternly insisted that whoever fears and works righteousness is accepted by Him. God is true and faithful always to follow His Word to perform it. We should never take His Word for granted, whether in ministry or not in ministry because the Word of God applies everywhere. God’s credit and rewards will be appropriate to the attitude and actions of our work. No good thing done for His glory will go unnoticed or unrewarded by anyone, no matter your social or economic status in society. Anything we are doing, whether good or bad, in private or public, in light or darkness, we will be repaid accordingly.
The Lord ensures that the believer will receive just and eternal compensation for their endless efforts, sacrifice, service, commitment, and faithfulness. All the work we do is not to please men but to please God. God deals with obedience and disobedience impartially. But, as Christians, we are not to presume on our faith in order to justify disobedience to an authority or employer. We are not to be men-pleasers working only when the manager or master is watching but bearing in mind that the Lord is watching, and our work concerns Him. As Christians, we should also eliminate and get rid of partiality in the church. If not, it will continue to cause chaos and havoc in the body of Christ. Partiality leads to comparison among brethren in the church. Partiality leads to discrimination against each other. Partiality leads to maltreatment of one another. James 1:1 (NKJV) 1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. James strictly commands believers not to practise partiality in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Lord of glory. Christians are not to judge each other. Christians should not engage in treating one another harshly and unfairly. Our goal is to be like God in our attitudes and actions to be fair and equal with all brethren in Christ.
Contributor
By Maxmiller Naliaka Mangeni (Kenya)
Minister
