This objective fact is the Gospel. Thankfully, God is just and also gracious. As fully God, Jesus was able to bear the wrath of the Father for the sins of those he was saving. So as Adam brought death to all, Christ brings life to all who trust in him 1 Cor. His resurrection from the grave and His enthronement at the right hand of the Father is proof that the Father was satisfied by the work of his Son Dan.
This redemption accomplished by Christ is the metanarrative—the main story of the Bible. And central to the redemptive story is a God who is sovereign over all things, including the freely made choices of men and women to do good and to do evil. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.
This is grace that fills us with its never-ceasing comfort—grace that is unmerited favor, not favoritism. Far from being a form of sinful preference, the doctrine of election is the ultimate expression of love and is biblical to its core. When we drive this message into the very center of our hearts—the message of a Savior sent to redeem a sinful undeserving people—our response is to love and obey God and Christ more and more, which we do through the power of his Spirit.
In this way, we confirm the favor—not favoritism—that he has shown us in our election for salvation. May God be glorified in each of us, his children. Got Peace Right Now? But God does listen to the righteous, but not the wicked.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. John We know that God does not listen to sinner s, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.
Proverbs The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. Proverbs The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him. Proverbs The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
When judging others. Proverbs These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good:. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd,. Deuteronomy Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike.
Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it. Ephesians Therefore be imitators of God , as beloved children. James Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. He has an absolute right to do as He wishes without any explanation or justification to mankind at all.
And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. Do you for one moment suppose any of us knows enough to call God into question? Clay doesn't talk back to the fingers that mold it, saying, "Why did you shape me like this? If God needs one style of pottery especially designed to show his angry displeasure and another style carefully crafted to show his glorious goodness, isn't that all right? Second, God shows favoritism based on Who He is and what He wants to do.
It is not based on anything found in mankind. He chose, for example, who He would show mercy upon and give salvation to before He even created the world. God's absolute ownership gives Him the right to do that. The fact is, none of us deserves to be saved. When God chose someone to be saved He was giving them what they did not deserve. Like a man with a dollar standing before two identical beggars.
He gives the dollar to one beggar. That beggar did not deserve the man's money, but he was given it in mercy and should be thankful. The other beggar has nothing to complain about because, likewise, he did not deserve the man's money and he is no worse off than before [Matt. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
Third, God shows favoritism based on relationship. While God is the creator of all, and in that sense is Father of all, He is the Father of those whom He has saved in a special redemptive sense. They are His family. Like a natural father favours his own family and especially cares for and protects them, so God shows favoritism and cares for His own family in a special way. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Lets look at a case that a reader brought to my attention as an example of God showing favoritism. Although it may not be what the reader intended, it is an example of judgment and hope. The example is King Manasseh, one of the last kings of Judah.
His story can be found in 2 Chr. It is not a nice story to read. King Manasseh was probably the worst king Judah ever had. Although he had a Godly father, King Hezekiah, he rejected the ways of God. He defiled the temple of God, he worshipped the stars and false gods, he promoted sexual perversion, he worked with witches, he filled Jerusalem with murder, and even committed child sacrifice using his own sons. Tradition has it that he was the one who ordered the prophet Isaiah's murder by having him sawn in half.
He led Judah into worse sins than any of the heathen nations around them. God's Judgment was going to come. Even his grandson, the Godly King Josiah, could not turn back the judgment, he could only delay it. Manasseh took God's national mercy to an end.
King Manasseh was about as evil as anyone could be. But before we pass judgment on him, let us look at our own nations. It is all a test.
Meanwhile, those who believe in Allah, do good deeds and abstain from bad deeds are the winners in this life and the hereafter. Even though Adam and Eve were driven from the Garden of Eden after the fall, God promised that he would not abandon the human race but would restore the relationship between humanity and himself.
God shows no favoritism and his love extends to all people. A concern we must share. We have freedom and can choose God or not. God cannot be manipulated with special formulas.
Everything is up to us both individually and cooperatively. People and societies, not Nature, show favoritism. Natural laws are driven by neutral forces. Spinoza, Einstein, Suzuki and many modernists have called Nature --God.
Right Effort means better human relations. Our Heavenly Father loves all of us, without regard to social class, physical characteristics, or other irrelevant distinction. God invites all to enjoy the blessings of righteousness.
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