July
13, 2008
___________________________________________________
Action
Required: The Problem with Favoritism
God
shows no favoritism.
It's
in the Bible:
Acts 10:34, NKJV. "Then Peter opened his mouth and said: 'In
truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.'" Romans 2:11,
NKJV says, "For there is no partiality with God."
Why
does God condemn favoritism?
Because it reveals a destructive double standard. It's in the
Bible: Malachi 2:9, TLB. "Therefore, I have made you
contemptible in the eyes of all the people; for you have not
obeyed Me, but you let your favorites break the law without
rebuke." Favoritism devalues people for whom Christ died and
indicates an ignorance of God's values.
It's
in the Bible:
James 2:1-4, TLB. "Dear brothers, how can you claim that you
belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, if you
show favoritism to rich people and look down on poor people?
If a man comes into your church dressed in expensive clothes
and with valuable gold rings on his fingers, and at the same
moment another man comes in who is poor and dressed in
threadbare clothes, and you make a lot of fuss over the rich
man and give him the best seat in the house and say to the
poor man, 'You can stand over there if you like, or else sit
on the floor'—well, judging a man by his wealth shows
that you are guided by wrong motives.
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NORTH RALEIGH CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE
9200
Strickland Road
Raleigh, North Carolina 27615
919.870.1141 Phone
919.870.1447 Fax
web@nrnazarene.org