Thursday, September 19, 2013
James 2:1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.
FAVORITISM AND PREJUDICE GO AGAINST THE PRINCIPLES OF JESUS
The spiritual danger of favoritism/prejudice is to be taken seriously because it goes against the principles of Jesus. Instead of loving people who might give Him something in return, Jesus loves unconditionally.
His love is undeserved. He is all about grace.
He chose Abraham to be the father of Israel and the ancestor of the Messiah even when Abraham was at the time an idol worshiper. The Bible is loaded with examples of God loving people who did not love Him back. On the cross Jesus asked His Father to forgive the very people who were crucifying Him. In Romans we read that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Do we deserve the love of God? Certainly not! Not one person can make that claim. Yet, the modus operandi of our Savior has been to love the unlovable, to extend His grace to those that everybody else has rejected. Jesus doesn't build barriers. He knocks them down to go after a lost sheep. You and I are part of His kingdom not because of what Jesus could get out of us, but simply due to His grace.
