Written by Billy Wendeln and Matt Chisholm of The Bible Brodown
Knowing and understanding the character of God is important and critical in understanding scripture. It is foundational to sound doctrine. This study will look at God’s revealed justness — specifically His impartiality with His judgement and giving His offering of forgiveness and salvation to all.
What is favoritism or partiality?
Partiality
• Unfair bias in favor of one thing or person compared with another; favoritism.
Favoritism
• the practice of giving unfair preferential treatment to one person or group at the expense of another.
God is not partial, but what does that mean?
Many people understand through the plain statements in Scripture that God is not supposed to be partial or show favoritism. But these plain statements seem to be redefined or ignored in ones soteriology. I have even heard people say that God is partial and shows favoritism, clearly ignoring and contradicting Scripture.
What does it mean that God is not partial? Does it mean God can’t love one person over another? Does it mean God can’t select certain individuals for a certain purpose?
Remember these components of partiality and favoritism:
• Unfair bias
• Unfair preferential treatment at the expense of another
Is God fair and just?
Psalm 9:8: He judges the world fairly; He makes just legal decisions for the nations.
Psalm 98:9: For God comes to judge the earth! He judges the world fairly, and the nations in a just manner.
Jeremiah 17:10: I, the Lord, probe into people’s minds. I examine people’s hearts. I deal with each person according to how he has behaved. I give them what they deserve based on what they have done.
Jeremiah 11:20: So I said to the Lord, “O Lord who rules over all, you are a just judge! You examine people’s hearts and minds. I want to see you pay them back for what they have done because I trust you to vindicate my cause.”
Genesis 18:25: Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the godly with the wicked, treating the godly and the wicked alike! Far be it from you! Will not the judge of the whole earth do what is right?”
Job 8:1-6: Then Bildad the Shuhite replied: “How long will you say such things? Your words are a blustering wind. Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right? When your children sinned against him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin. But if you will seek God earnestly and plead with the Almighty, if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your prosperous state.
God is 100% fair and impartial in judgment
God does not show partiality with people regarding judgment and instruction in regards to salvation and condemnation (Deut.10:17; 2 Chr.19:7; Job 33:12-30; Job 34:17-27; Matt.22:16; Mar.12:14; Luk.20:21; Acts 10:34-35; Rom.1:16-21; Rom.2:8-11; Gal.2:6; Eph.6:9; 1 Pet.1:17).
Deuteronomy 10:17: For the Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe.
The word here for partiality is nasa’, and has a variety of meanings, but all with the same implication. It means to lift up, or to carry, or to support, or even to take away or forgive. The Lord does not unfairly or show favor to lift one person over another.
2 Chronicles 19:7: Now then let the fear of the Lord be upon you; be very careful what you do, for the Lord our God will have no part in unrighteousness or partiality or the taking of a bribe.”
This is the same word (nasa’), and notice it is put right in line with unrighteousness. To be partial, or show favoritism, is to be unrighteous.
Job 34:17-27: Will you condemn the righteous mighty One, who says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’ to nobles, ‘Wicked ones’; who shows no partiality to princes nor regards the rich above the poor, for they all are the work of His hands? “In a moment they die, and at midnight; people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away without a hand. “For His eyes are upon the ways of a man, and He sees all his steps. “There is no darkness or deep shadow where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. “For He does not need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment. “He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry, and sets others in their place. “Therefore He knows their works, and He overthrows them in the night, and they are crushed. “He strikes them like the wicked in a public place, because they turned aside from following Him, and had no regard for any of His ways.
Here we have a long description of what it means for God to not be partial. He judges all fairly, and with equality.
Matthew 22:16: And they sent their disciples to Him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any.
Christ teaches the way of God in truth. Notice what it says; He teaches truth, and does not defer to anyone (in teaching the truth), for He is not partial to any.
Mark 12:14: When they came they said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and do not court anyone’s favor, because you show no partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth (see also Luke 20:21)
Acts 10:34-35: Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.
God doesn’t select and choose (i.e. accept) certain people or certain nations, but accepts any and all who fear Him and does what is right.
Romans 2:8-11: But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism.
God’s wrath (or trouble and distress) comes upon those who are self-seeking AND reject the truth AND follow evil.
Anyone, without partiality, who is self-seeking, rejects the truth, and follows evil, will be judged and receive wrath and anger. Compare, “self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger” with “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord” (Jer.17:5).
God gives glory and honor and peace to any who does good (Heb.11:6)
Anyone, without partiality, who is does what is right (which can only come by having faith in the Lord, and walking by His Spirit, (Gen.4:7; Gen.18:19; Deut. 6:18; Heb.11:6), will be judged and receive glory, honor, and peace.
Galatians 2:6: But from those who were of high reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me.
Ephesians 6:9: Masters, treat your slaves the same way, giving up the use of threats, because you know that both you and they have the same master in heaven, and there is no favoritism with Him.
1 Peter 1:17: And if you address as Father the one who impartially judges according to each one’s work, live out the time of your temporary residence here in reverence.
If ones understanding or interpretation of a passage (such as Romans 9) makes God out to be partial, or showing favoritism in salvific judgment (judging in wrath vs. giving mercy or grace), then your understanding or interpretation is wrong.
Despite any arguments contrary, God unconditionally electing a particular person of people group for eternal salvation is favoritism.
Paul spend 8 chapters explaining that salvation comes by faith, and not of works, even citing Abraham being credited with righteousness before he was circumcised. Paul didn’t spend 8 chapters (as well as Scripture speaking of this over and over again) to then negate it all by saying God just predestined certain people for no apparent reason.
Salvation is offered to all (completely impartial), and promised that those who trust in Him will be saved.
Commands to be impartial
God has also commanded all to be like Him, impartial, not showing favoritism in judgment and instruction (Ex.23:2-4; Lev.19:15; Deut.1:17; 16:9; 2 Chr.19:7; Job 13:8-10; 32:21-22; Prov.28:21; Macl.2:9; Eph.6:9; 1 Tim.5:21; Jam.2:21, 4, 8-9; 3:21).
Exodus 23:2-4: You shall not follow the masses in doing evil, nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after a multitude in order to pervert justice; nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his dispute.
Leviticus 19:15: ‘You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly.
Deuteronomy 1:17: You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not fear man, for the judgment is God’s.
Deuteronomy 16:9: You shall not distort justice; you shall not be partial, and you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.
2 Chronicles 19:7: Now then let the fear of the Lord be upon you; be very careful what you do, for the Lord our God will have no part in unrighteousness or partiality or the taking of a bribe.”
Job 13:8-10: “Will you show partiality for Him? Will you contend for God? “Will it be well when He examines you? Or will you deceive Him as one deceives a man? “He will surely reprove you if you secretly show partiality.
Job 32:21-22: “Let me now be partial to no one, nor flatter any man. “For I do not know how to flatter, else my Maker would soon take me away.
Proverbs 28:21: To show partiality is terrible, for a person will transgress over the smallest piece of bread
Malachi 2:9: “So I also have made you despised and abased before all the people, just as you are not keeping My ways but are showing partiality in the instruction.
Israel as a kingdom of priests, were showing partiality in teaching God’s word, and thus God judged them. God does not show partiality in judgment or instruction.
Ephesians 6:9: Masters, treat your slaves the same way, giving up the use of threats, because you know that both you and they have the same master in heaven, and there is no favoritism with Him.
1 Timothy 5:21: I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality.
James 2:1: My brothers and sisters, do not show favoritism if you possess faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.
James 2:4: have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?
James 2:8-9: But if you fulfill the royal law as expressed in this scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show prejudice, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as violators.
James 3:21: But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and not hypocritical.