GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS

WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL

AUGUST 21, 2021

TOPIC: GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS

BY T. O. BANSO

“Then Peter said, Truly, I see clearly that God is no respecter of persons. But in every nation, the man who has fear of him and does righteousness is pleasing to him” (Acts 10:34-35 Bible in Basic English).

In human society, there are rules meant to be kept by all. Everybody is equal before the law. But this is not always so, as people sometimes undermine the rules and compromise the standards by engaging in favoritism. Human beings show respect of persons or undue bias because of power, status, position, or rank. It could also be because of wealth, friendship, appearance, and so on.

Sometimes, respect of persons could be a result of corruption. Some people buy their way into something or out of something. They offer bribes not only to gain preferential treatment but also to get what they don’t deserve. This is a big problem in some societies.

However, God cannot be bribed. His standards cannot be compromised. Factors such as wealth, power, position, appearance, and the likes cannot influence God to give someone what he should not get. God is no respecter of persons. He treats all His creatures equally despite the differences in race, creed, and gender. He doesn’t consider one race or nationality as superior to the other. There is equality before the Lord.

Deuteronomy 10:17-18 says, “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. He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing” (New King James Version).

Also, 2 Chronicles 19:7b tells us that there is no iniquity with the LORD our God; there is no partiality or taking of bribes. What can anyone give to God to bribe Him when everything belongs to Him? What bribe will God receive from anyone that will influence how He treats the person? This may be the case with some human beings but not God. He is incorruptible. Peter told Simon the Sorcerer who offered him money to buy the power of God, “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!” (Acts 8:20 New International Version).

The prophet Samuel first made the mistake of judging by the appearance in the house of Jesse to choose a king to replace Saul.  But the LORD told him, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t make decisions the way you do! People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at a person’s thoughts and intentions” (1 Samuel 16:7 New Living Translation).

Also, the apostle James warns against personal favouritism in the church. “My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, ‘You sit here in a good place,’ and say to the poor man, ‘You stand there,’ or,  ‘Sit here at my footstool,’ have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?” (James 2:1-4 New King James Version).

God doesn’t show favoritism. He is no respecter of persons. The apostle Paul says in Romans 2:10-11, “But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good — for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism” (New Living  Translation). The word favoritism is rendered partiality in some translations. God does not show partiality or favouritism. He is no respecter of persons. Paul also says in Galatians 2:6 that God shows personal favoritism to no man.

Writing in Ephesians 6:9 on how masters should relate to their bondservants or slaves, Paul also referred to the impartiality of God. “And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him” (New King James Version).

God is the God of the Jews as much as He is the God of the Gentiles. He has no bias against any race. Job 34:19 says of God, “Yet He is not partial to princes, nor does He regard the rich more than the poor; for they are all the work of His hands” (New King James Version). The Bible says the rich and the poor have this in common: The LORD made both of them (Proverbs 22:2).

Peter opened his message in the house of Cornelius by saying, “Truly, I see clearly that God is no respecter of persons. But in every nation, the man who has fear of him and does righteousness is pleasing to him” (Acts 10:34-35 Bible in Basic English).  Take note of the phrase “God is no respecter of persons.” The New King James Version presents Acts 10:34-35 thus: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.”  

God confirmed Peter’s assertion by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all who heard Peter’s word while he was still speaking. Peter had not, as we normally do in our services, made the altar call, led to Christ those who might have answered the altar call, started water baptismal class, and taken new converts through the believers’ class before ministering the baptism of the Holy Ghost to them. No. God just took over the meeting, set aside the order of service and standard procedure, and did what He wanted to do to the amazement of all. The Gentiles received the baptism of the Holy Spirit which the Jews had received earlier.

Acts 10:45-46 says, “The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles, too. And there could be no doubt about it, for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God” (New Living Translation).

In the circumstance, the preacher – Peter – couldn’t say anything other than to ask, “Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” (Verse 47 New Living Translation). Nobody objected and Peter gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. God is no respecter of persons. He is the God of the Jews and the God of the Gentiles.

1 Timothy 2:4 says God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. God is no respecter of persons; He is impartial. Peter, later in Acts 15, referred to this event at the Jerusalem Council. “At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as follows: Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good News and believe. God, who knows people’s hearts, confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he gave him to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he also cleansed their hearts through faith. Why are you now questioning God’s way by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the special favor of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 15:7-11 New Living Translation).

Jesus didn’t die for the sins of the Jews alone; He died for the sins of the whole world. God is no respecter of persons. Any soul that sins shall die (Ezekiel 18:4). Humanity, including the Gentiles, must, therefore, seek Jesus (Acts 15:17). As Paul says in Colossians 3:25, anyone who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done and there is no partiality. This applies to the Jews and Gentiles, male and female, the poor and the rich. The apostle Peter also says God, without partiality, judges according to each one’s work (1 Peter 1:17).

What is your relationship with God? He is no respecter of persons. Your wealth, power, position, importance, or anything you possess or you are, means nothing to Him. You may be a pastor or General Overseer, a church worker, the CEO of a company, a rich man, or a Lazarus. Whatever you are, God is no respecter of persons. He will not lower His standards for anyone.

Romans 5:10 says, “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (New King James Version). Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your love and Saviour? No one can come to the Father except through Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Are you living a holy life? He says,  “Be holy, because I am holy”  (1 Peter 1:16). Without holiness, no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14b). God is no respecter of persons.

TAKE ACTION!

If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.

Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.

I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.

PRAYER POINTS:  Father, thank You because You are no respecter of persons and sent Your Son to die not for a particular race but for the whole world. Holy Spirit, convict sinners that the work of reconciliation, which Jesus did on the cross, will not be in vain in their lives. Holy Spirit, help me to live by the Word of God and His standards, as He is no respecter of persons.

(For over 600 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).