Christians are not to show favoritism, partiality or prejudice.
But our world sure screams a different principle, doesn’t it? That it’s all in ‘who you know” and “what you have.” And what really is heartbreaking is the degree of using people for personal gain or benefits. We see that everywhere in families, and among social groups.
When we think of favoritism we think of someone making a decision and taking an action in favoring someone over someone else. It’s very similar to discrimination and can be based on a person’s social class, their race, the size of their bank accounts, what they drive, what they wear, their career, their influence, their popularity, etc.
But if we show favoritism or prejudice or snobbery is it really that wrong? Does the Bible actually tell us that showing any of those attitudes is blatant sin? And is there a time and place when we should show favoritism? And what about God? When it comes to people, does he have favorites? What exactly does the bible say about favoritism, prejudice, discrimination, biases, and snobbery.
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Let’s start with the question: Is the Bible clear on the topic of favoritism?
The answer is yes: The Bible is clear that favoritism is not God’s will for our lives. And here’s why….
First, favoritism is incompatible with God’s nature: “God does not show favoritism” (Romans 2:11). After reading that one verse, we seriously need to write it on an index card and memorize it. That one little verse is a power-packed principle for us if we are going to respect God. We need to take Ephesians 6:9 to heart as well, that tells us that ALL are equal before Him. Ephesians 6:9 says, “There is no favoritism with him.” Even when He disciplines, He doesn’t bring favoritism or bias into His judgements. Colossians 3:25 teaches us this: “Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.”
Second, the Bible teaches Christians to not show favoritism: “My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism” (James 2:1). The context concerns the treatment of rich and poor in the church. James points out that treating someone differently based on his financial status or how he is dressed is wrong.
Why do you believe the Christians in James’ community were doing this? Why were they treating the rich one way and treating the poor another? Think on this for a moment. Do you think they saw an opportunity to personally benefit? Do you think they may have reasoned that the wealth of a person meant they knew some secret to success? Give this some real thought…and ask yourself, when you are around someone with wealth, with nice possessions, or they have what you would call some prestigiousness about them, do you treat them any differently than you do someone who doesn’t possess or have claim to any of those things?
Third, the Bible calls favoritism sin: “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers” (James 2:8-9). Favoritism is a serious offense against God’s call to love one’s neighbor as oneself.
(**What you are going to read next is not my personal view or thoughts. I am sharing from a past experience.)
A man once told me that he’d never hire an overweight person to work in his place of business. When I asked him why that was the case, he said that he believed overweight people were actually undisciplined and sloppy in personal habits and hygiene, and were obviously lacking in self-control. He went on to say, “I could never work with someone overweight.” He stereotyped all overweight people as not beneficial to the work environment. I can remember feeling in my stomach such a nausea that came over me. I was disgusted by his attitude and sorrowed to the core because I not only heard what he said, but I was the one in the position to ‘screen’ who turned in applications for the position. Nothing broke my heart more than to know I was expected to place an application in the garbage after discovering their height and weight.
Needless to say, I didn’t work in that position long. I couldn’t. Because I knew every ounce of his perspective was awfully sinful. I knew that overweight and underweight people alike are fully equipped with skills, talents and abilities. And that there is NEVER to be any discrimination against anyone based on their race, their size, their social status, or they personal net worth. I don’t see with color discrimination. I never have. I just don’t see it…but I see people’s eyes, their smiles, their attitudes, their love for certain hobbies, I see their talents and strengths. I see when they are hurting or broken. I see pain and I see joy! Bottom line – I see human beings of all race, size, nation and tribe as having been created in the image of God! In no way am I trying to elevate myself in telling you this, but I am trying to communicate something that is so real IN me that only God and His Holy Spirit could be responsible for fanning this conviction into flame. Now, when I am exposed to or encounter the spirit of favoritism, the spirit of prejudice, the spirit of discrimination or snobbery, I know it. It’s like someone walking you into a Mexican restaurant blindfolded and then asking you, “Where you are?” You know exactly where you are! You smell it! A Mexican restaurant has that aroma to it, as do those attitudes. There is a stench about them, and only by the grace of God, I can smell ’em a mile away! No, not a literal stench, but I’m only using that as an analogy to just how recognizable these attitudes can be discerned. I’m not judging, I’m practicing the calling in being a bondservant of Jesus Christ. Jesus not only recognized and opposed such attitudes, but He called them out by asserting a name on them, “hypocrites!”
When I saw in that place of business someone driving up in a nice vehicle wearing brand name clothes and nice accessories and were given the red carpet treatment while talking about their personal career aspirations and luxurious hobbies, versus someone driving up in an old and obviously well-used vehicle and not wearing a single brand named item, and they were asked to sit in the chair without any casual words spoken – just what had to be said to wrap up the matters at hand – well, I remember just crying. Because I wanted to go in there and pour on the whole-hearted attention! I wanted to bathe them in encouragement and love! I wanted to show both, (the wealthy and the poor), the love of Christ and not the flatteries of man. Do you understand what I’m trying to say? It shouldn’t matter. But y’all, let’s be honest about it…we see that unfortunately it does matter for some folks. They so want control that their relational and personal decisions are often times shaped by favoritism and prejudice and discrimination.
Fourth, church leaders are especially commanded not to show partiality or favoritism. Paul commanded Timothy, (and at the time he was a young church leader), “I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism” (1 Timothy 5:21).
Fifth, it can be a challenge not showing favoritism. Even Christ’s disciples and those close to Him struggled with showing partiality toward people who were like them and discrimination toward those who were not like them. When the apostle Peter was first called to minister to non-Jewish people, (the Gentiles), he was more than hesitant, but he later confessed, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right” (Acts 10:34).
The fact that James specifically addresses the sin of favoritism implies that this was a common problem within the early church. In James’ day we find within the Christian community all people:
The rich and the poor
The Jew and the Gentile
The religious leader and the local fisherman
The governmental leader and the produce farmer
The procurator and the baker
The ruler and the homemaker
The soldier and the seamstress
The scribe and the silversmith
The tax collector and the tent maker
The priest and the potter
The prophet and the planter
The carpenter and the cupbearer
The sire and the shepherd
When you look at that list, you see how the 1st Christian community in Jerusalem had such extremes of lifestyle, of purpose and calling, in responsibilities, etc. James wrote to the entire Christian community in addressing a very real problem that was causing strife, quarreling and division when he wrote:
My fellow believers, do not practice your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of partiality [toward people—show no favoritism, no prejudice, no snobbery]. 2 For if a man comes into your meeting place wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes also comes in, 3 and you pay special attention to the one who wears the fine clothes, and say to him, “You sit here in this good seat,” and you tell the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down [on the floor] by my footstool,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves, and become judges with wrong motives? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters: has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and [as believers to be] heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you [in contrast] have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress and exploit you, and personally drag you into the courts of law? 7 Do they not blaspheme the precious name [of Christ] by which you are called?
But let’s go to the second question: Did and does God have favorites?
Whether or not God has favorites is a tricky question because it is based upon our human understanding of favoritism, which usually means unfair treatment of anyone who is not favored. To completely understand the answer, we have to start with the truth that God loves everyone because every human being is created in His image (John 3:16; Lamentations 3:22–23; Genesis 1:26).
When we think of favoritism, we imagine a place of higher status and less responsibility. But God’s favor often comes with added duties and more difficult challenges….Look at Jesus – He was the embodiment of everything God favors. (e.g., Isaiah 42:1; Matthew 3:17; 12:18; Luke 9:35). God chose prophets and kings for His own sovereign reasons (Exodus 33:17; Daniel 10:11; 1 Samuel 2:26). God chose Solomon from all of David’s sons to become the next king (1 Chronicles 28:5–6). He gifted him in wealth, in popularity, and in wisdom (1 Kings 5:12).
However, many of those whom God favored were persecuted and suffered hardship because of the mantle of responsibility God placed upon them.
The angel Gabriel greeted Mary with these words: “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28). We have no further record as to why Mary was chosen, but the result of God’s favor upon her was that she had to bear great sorrow and difficulty as the mother of the Messiah. The “sword” would “pierce her soul” (Luke 2:35).
So is God’s favor arbitrary? Do our choices have any impact on whether we are among His favorites? Isaiah 66:2 says, “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.”
God wants to show us all His favor, but in His sovereign knowledge, He chooses some for special assignment and blessing. When God gave Moses instructions about building the tabernacle, He named two men that He had specifically chosen to do the artistic work. (Exodus 31:1–4, 6). Sometimes, God chooses people because He has gifted them in special ways for special service. As they fulfill the calling He placed on their lives, they find favor with Him (Exodus 33:13).
God is not limited in His favor. He does not rank us in order of importance, nor is His favor something we must compete with one another to earn.
Every child of God who comes to Him through faith in Jesus Christ has the favor of God. Psalm 5:12 says, “For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield.” It is not our own righteousness that earns us favor; we are declared righteous through the cleansing of our sins by the blood of Christ (Romans 5:1; 2 Corinthians 5:21). As we grow in faith and seek to please Him, God demonstrates His favor by drawing near to us (James 4:8).
God’s favorites are His children, purchased through the blood of His Son (John 1:12).
As we honor Jesus, God’s favor follows us. That favor may manifest itself through greater responsibility, blessing, or even suffering for His sake (Acts 5:41).
The reward of His favor is His promise that “all things work together for the good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). ***www.gotquestions.org
So, here’s what I want to tell you that’s rather personal ….
Around the first of January of 2020, I was texting with my counselor. He’s a wise discerner for sure, and at one point he said something to me and the second I read it, I broke into tears and honestly didn’t know why…
This is what he texted to me,
“Lisa, there isn’t a mean bone in your body.”
I whispered out loud,
“What?”
I remember doing that because I didn’t expect it. I read it again. But this time I was reading it realizing two things: 1) who was telling me this…someone I highly respected and trusted, and 2) he wouldn’t be telling me this if he hadn’t discerned it to be true.
I’m telling you, tears welled up in my eyes so thick that I could hardly read it anymore. I just sat there trying to read it over and over again.
Then I finally asked him,
“Why is what you just said making me cry?”
And he replied back to me saying,
“That’s what grief looks like.”
My soul was grieving, but it was through the words of my counselor that I knew the Lord wanted me to know …
“This is who you are, Lisa. It’s how I see you. You don’t have a mean bone in your body. Yet, you’ve been made to think you do through the devil’s lies and accusations. What I think is all you need and I will keep caring for you as you grieve through this oppression.”
The Lord has made this promise to the afflicted – “He delivers the afflicted in their affliction, And opens their ear in time of oppression.” He opens their ear to HIS Word and HIS thoughts and HIS character and HIS love. Why? Because what He says is all a true child of God needs during times of oppressing sinful favoritism.
What He says is what transforms a believer’s mind and heart to be more and more in the image of His Son. “For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;” 1 John 3:11.
Lisa & Rip
