In the New Testament, Paul demands active unity in the church, a unity that explicitly joins together differing ethnic groups because of their common identity in Christ. Paul proclaims that, in Christ, believers form a brand-new humanity. The old barrier of hostility and division between ethnic groups has been demolished by the cross; and now, all peoples are to be one in Christ (Rom. 4; Gal. 3-4; Col. 3; Eph. 2). Christians of other ethnicities aren’t just equal to us; they are joined to us. Paul insists that the primary identity of Christians is to be based on their union with Christ-not on traditional sociological, geographical, and ethnic connections. Again, the implications are profound. Christians of other races aren’t just equal to us; they are joined to us. As Christians, we’re all part of the same body, united by the presence of the same Holy Spirit who indwells us all. We’re not just friends or fellow worshipers in the same religion, but brothers and sisters in the same family. John gives us a glimpse of the people of God at the consummation of history, describing them as people from every tribe and language and people and nation (Rev. 5:9; 7:9; 10:11; 11:9; 13:7; 14:6; 17:15). This fourfold formula of tribe, language, people, and nation stresses the ethnic diversity of the people of God who will worship around the throne. It’s a picture of the climactic kingdom of Christ, and, as such, provides a model for us to strive toward. John clearly sees the kingdom of Christ as a multi-ethnic congregation. Favortism among people is a SIN and likned to the law breakers of old.Favoritism, according to Merriam-Webster, is “the unfair practice of treating some people better than others.” The Greek word translated favoritism in James 2 literally means to “receive according to the face.” In other words, to show favoritism is to make judgments about people on the basis of their outward appearance. Here are three reasons why showing favoritism is prohibited in Scripture: 1. Favoritism is inconsistent with God’s character. Impartiality is an attribute of God. He is absolutely and totally impartial in dealing with people. “For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awe-inspiring God, showing no partiality and taking no bribe” (Deut. 10:17). “For there is no favoritism with God” (Rom. 2:11). “There is no favoritism with him (Eph. 6:9). “Now I truly understand that God doesn’t show favoritism” (Acts 10:34). Showing favoritism is inconsistent with God’s character, antithetical to the gospel, and therefore incompatible with “faith in our glorious Jesus Christ” (Jas. 2:1). 2. Favoritism is contrary to God’s values. James addressed a situation in which believers gave preferential treatment to the rich (2:2-3). What would motivate this kind of behavior? Is it not because these believers valued the rich more than they valued the poor? They would rather have the rich attend their church than the poor, and their treatment of the rich and of the poor reflected their values. James reminded his readers that their values were not God’s values: “Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? Yet you have dishonored the poor” (2:5-6). They were acting in a way that was contrary to God’s values. In a message on the evil of favoritism in the church, John MacArthur said: “We tend to put everyone in some kind of stratified category, higher or lower than other people. It has to do with their looks. It has to do with their wardrobe. It has to do with the kind of car they drive, the kind of house they live in; sometimes it has to do with their race, sometimes with their social status, sometimes outward characteristics of personality. All of those things with God are non-issues. They are of no significance at all. They mean absolutely nothing to Him.” (gty.org) 3. Favoritism is sin. James makes clear that favoritism is not simply disrespectful of people; it is sin against God. “If … you show favoritism, you commit sin” (Jas. 2:9). It is sin because it is contrary to the character and command of God. Because favoritism is sin, there is no place for it in the hearts of God’s people, and certainly no place for it in the church.
In the New Testament, Paul demands active unity in the church, a unity that explicitly joins together differing ethnic groups because of their common identity in Christ. Paul proclaims that, in Christ, believers form a brand-new humanity. The old barrier of hostility and division between ethnic groups has been demolished by the cross; and now, all peoples are to be one in Christ (Rom. 4; Gal. 3-4; Col. 3; Eph. 2).
Christians of other ethnicities aren’t just equal to us; they are joined to us.
Paul insists that the primary identity of Christians is to be based on their union with Christ-not on traditional sociological, geographical, and ethnic connections. Again, the implications are profound. Christians of other races aren’t just equal to us; they are joined to us. As Christians, we’re all part of the same body, united by the presence of the same Holy Spirit who indwells us all. We’re not just friends or fellow worshipers in the same religion, but brothers and sisters in the same family.
John gives us a glimpse of the people of God at the consummation of history, describing them as people from every tribe and language and people and nation (Rev. 5:9; 7:9; 10:11; 11:9; 13:7; 14:6; 17:15). This fourfold formula of tribe, language, people, and nation stresses the ethnic diversity of the people of God who will worship around the throne. It’s a picture of the climactic kingdom of Christ, and, as such, provides a model for us to strive toward. John clearly sees the kingdom of Christ as a multi-ethnic congregation.
Favortism among people is a SIN and likned to the law breakers of old.Favoritism, according to Merriam-Webster, is “the unfair practice of treating some people better than others.” The Greek word translated favoritism in James 2 literally means to “receive according to the face.” In other words, to show favoritism is to make judgments about people on the basis of their outward appearance. Here are three reasons why showing favoritism is prohibited in Scripture:
1. Favoritism is inconsistent with God’s character.
Impartiality is an attribute of God. He is absolutely and totally impartial in dealing with people.
“For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awe-inspiring God, showing no partiality and taking no bribe” (Deut. 10:17).
“For there is no favoritism with God” (Rom. 2:11).
“There is no favoritism with him (Eph. 6:9).
“Now I truly understand that God doesn’t show favoritism” (Acts 10:34).
Showing favoritism is inconsistent with God’s character, antithetical to the gospel, and therefore incompatible with “faith in our glorious Jesus Christ” (Jas. 2:1).
2. Favoritism is contrary to God’s values.
James addressed a situation in which believers gave preferential treatment to the rich (2:2-3). What would motivate this kind of behavior? Is it not because these believers valued the rich more than they valued the poor? They would rather have the rich attend their church than the poor, and their treatment of the rich and of the poor reflected their values.
James reminded his readers that their values were not God’s values: “Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? Yet you have dishonored the poor” (2:5-6). They were acting in a way that was contrary to God’s values.
In a message on the evil of favoritism in the church, John MacArthur said: “We tend to put everyone in some kind of stratified category, higher or lower than other people. It has to do with their looks. It has to do with their wardrobe. It has to do with the kind of car they drive, the kind of house they live in; sometimes it has to do with their race, sometimes with their social status, sometimes outward characteristics of personality. All of those things with God are non-issues. They are of no significance at all. They mean absolutely nothing to Him.” (gty.org)
3. Favoritism is sin.
James makes clear that favoritism is not simply disrespectful of people; it is sin against God. “If … you show favoritism, you commit sin” (Jas. 2:9). It is sin because it is contrary to the character and command of God. Because favoritism is sin, there is no place for it in the hearts of God’s people, and certainly no place for it in the church.