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No Respecter of Persons

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    © 19 Colin Melbourne

    Is God Disrespectful?

    Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

    Acts 10:34-35 KJV

    The biblical phrase, no respecter of persons requires adjustment of our colloquial understanding in order to properly grasp its breadth of meaning.

    The first time I read it, the thought flashed, God doesn’t respect people; which I knew immediately was not what it meant, so I was curious to comprehend better.

    The Creator Respects His Creation

    Everyone who has been born of God knows, from their own relationship with Him, how perfectly respectful He is of every person on Earth.

    It is His divine nature to respect the individual, in that He never imposes Himself on our will, He always respects our liberty to choose.

    Almighty God the Righteous Judge of mankind could not judge us if He forced us to do His will, could He?

    Likewise when we are witnessing to sinners, eager for them to accept Him as LORD, we receive an inner ‘check’ when He wants us to back off from them; should they refuse Him, look disinterested, need time to consider, or are downright obstructive and aggressive.

    Tip: When you notice eyes glazing over, you’ve already ignored His inner check. Leave them alone, listen to the Lord, and find the ones He’s pointing you towards.

    Biblical Respect

    Person is used in the Holy Bible to refer either; to an individual, just as we use it in the modern sense, or to their outward appearance and body, as in; do you have your wallet about your person?

    The words respecter, and respect, are used in the Holy Bible in ways less familiar to the modern ear.

    Here’s a selection to get your teeth into; The best way to understand them, and what respect means in each place, is to ask the LORD to show you the various subtle meanings of respect in different contexts.

    Respect Unto Abel

    Here’s the first mention of the term respect in the Holy Bible;

    And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.

    And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

    Gen. 4:3-5 KJV

    Abel willingly sacrificed the first and best of his flock to honour The LORD his parents had sinned against. The LORD accepted his sacrifice, doubtless by fire from Heaven devouring it in plan view. That was how Cain knew his mean-spirited, bloodless sacrifice, of vegetables was not accepted. No fire fell on his asparagus and cauliflowers, they wilted in the sun, causing Cain to grumble against God and Abel.

    God respected Cain’s decision to be begrudging, but did not respect his stingy sacrifice, and consequently Cain bore the responsibility for his choice.

    Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

    Gen. 3:21 KJV

    We can surmise that Adam and Eve had told their offspring about the animal blood that God had shed to cover their shame, the first ‘type’ of Christ, and were themselves offering acceptable blood sacrifices. Abel followed suite, but Cain cut-corners with veggies.

    The Person of The Poor

    The following usage clearly refers an individual’s outward appearance, or social status;

    Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.

    Lev. 19:15 KJV

    Respect Unto Them

    Here we see that respect plainly means God gave His attention to His wayward creatures despite their rebellion;

    And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.

    Ex. 2:24-25 KJV

    Not Respect Persons in Judgment

    Moses instructed Israel:

    And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.

    Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.

    Deut. 1:16-17 KJV

    The Divine rule of thumb is;

    For there is no respect of persons with God.

    Rom. 2:11 KJV

    A similar word for masters, teachers, and servants;

    Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.

    Eph. 6:8-9 KJV

    The Appointment Nobody Misses

    A timely warning of The Judgments to come; the Great White Throne Judgment of sinners, and Bema Judgment of saints;

    And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

    Col. 3:23-25 KJV

    Respect to Persons is Sin

    A word of explanation from the Holy Ghost on one meaning of respect (the first sentence becomes clear when it is understood as a gentle interrogative reproof to the erring.);

    My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

    For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

    Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

    But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

    Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

    If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

    Jas. 2:1-10 KJV

    No Favouritism with God

    Finally, Peter learned first-hand that God has no favourites, and reminds us;

    And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

    1 Pe. 1:17 KJV

    If you are not sure and certain which Judgment you will face, and what the outcome will be, you can be certain today, and spend the remainder of your brief walk on Earth in divine fellowship and at Peace With God.

    © 19 Colin Melbourne

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