No Partiality with God

Romans 2:1-29


No Partiality with God

Don’t you and I love it when we are working with someone that is fairly consistent in whatever task they are doing? This helps us because they can then be somewhat predictable and we can begin to anticipate their thought process. No matter how consistent someone can be they can always be persuaded into partiality by something. Sometimes they can change based on their dislike towards someone or on the contrary they can be motivated by their extreme love for someone else. Unlike us God is constant in everything. He is not driven by emotion but has an advantage of being all knowing and all powerful. The Bible says this about his eternal consistency:

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

Paul is writing to converted Jews in Rome. Even once converted they still needed much discipleship in changing their mindset of how they conducted themselves as Jews and now as Christians. Paul shows us that God uses the same measuring rod for all of mankind. The Jews were well known for being highly judgmental of anyone that wasn’t a Jew. Paul wants to make it clear that no man can stand as judge because we are flawed as well. Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew gave instruction on what our mindset needs to be on judging others.

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:1-5)

Sometimes I wonder if the speck in my brother’s eye is nothing more than just a reflection of the plank that is in my own eye. It’s so easy to see your sin on someone else. We must first reconcile our own hearts before we cut into our brother’s heart. Ultimately we are not judges but fruit inspectors. Each person’s life is full of choices and over time we can see what those choices have produced. God ALONE is the one “who "will render to each one according to his deeds.”” (Verse 6)

I love verse 7 because it gives clear instruction for us that desire eternal life. Our hope of heaven comes for those that “patiently continue” as we work the works of God while on this earth. He is also quite clear for those that do not seek God for they will reap “indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish”. Then further reminder that those again that want eternal life will reap “glory, honor, and peace”.

God’s judgment comes based on the intents of the heart. Outwardly the Jews were followers of the written law, continual in the religious practices, and physically marked of their separation and consecration to God. Though every bit of these things were good and honored by God, if the principals of all that never took root into their hearts then it was for nothing. God desires a cutting away, if you will, of the old man down to the heart. Man’s heart is not only the center of life for him physically but it is the center of him spiritually as well. Everything in a person’s heart can be shielded from you and I but before God all things are open and clearly seen.

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:12-13)

God is not a respecter of persons and shows no partiality but is consistent in grace, mercy, love, and also judgment.