Before I get into this topic, I want to say that the concept of partiality is, in many ways, only used in our language to describe a human characteristic. In other words, I don’t believe that either this word or it’s opposite, impartiality, were necessary expressions before the Fall in the Garden of Eden. Give that some serious thought before you continue reading this blog.
Partiality is part of the human condition. Impartiality simply describes what doesn’t exist in God.
OK, are you finished considering the above? I will continue now using this concept to make my point…
I’ve never met a person who was truly impartial. Sure, maybe there are moments we are impartial, but even if we do the right thing by God’s standard, there’s very often an internal wrestling match. For example, if you’re a parent, it’s often more painful to discipline your child than it is for them, but you do it anyways because you know it’s the right thing to do. The issue is that we all suffer a condition which God does not. Paul wrote of this truth while describing God’s sovereign choice in salvation.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
– Romans 5:6-9
While we humans are influenced by our personal affections for others (manifesting as favoritism), God is not swayed by such ways (Isaiah 55:8). When God decided to send His Son to die for us, He didn’t stop Himself because we were His enemies. We humans struggle with even helping our enemies out in a pinch, never mind laying down our lives for them (I recommend reading last week’s blog, How To Love Like Jesus)!
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
– Romans 5:10
For God shows no partiality.
– Romans 2:11
One word of caution here regarding the impartiality of God. Never forget to read passages of Holy Scripture in context. You can get twisted very quickly if you aren’t disciplined in this area of your studies. For example, it’s very easy to enslave God’s mercy to His impartiality. This is seen when otherwise well-intentioned Christians supplant the Biblical definition of impartiality for their own definition of “fairness”. The result is an aggravating impasse on the topic of man’s so-called “free will” and God’s sovereignty in election. God’s impartiality never trumps His sovereignty, even though that’s what many suppose. Remember, the very term “impartiality” only exists to describe something that doesn’t exist in God (e.g., impartiality isn’t responsible for making or influencing God’s choices, it only describes that He’s not flawed like we are, so we mustn’t ascribe our own ideas about “fairness” on Him).
We humans are polluted by partiality; therefore, any definition of fairness we impose is likewise polluted.
When we think of God’s impartiality, we must always consider the context. For example, we have, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). This means that if we sin there are repercussions (even though said sin was atoned for at the Cross). Ever had a hangover? You get the point. However, if we were to superimpose this on all of humanity while discounting what the Bible says about God’s salvific plan, we’d all go directly to Hell! But not all go to Hell, do they? Even some “bad people” go to Heaven, while so-called “good people” go to Hell.
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
– 1 Corinthians 1:21-29
God is described as 100% impartial (that’s all His own integrity will ever allow) and yet, He sovereignly chose to save some while passing over others. Should we call “Time-Out” and demand an explanation from the holy God of the Universe? Paul wrote about this temptation.
And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
– Romans 9:10-16
God has mercy on some, but not all, and, according to Holy Scripture, it has nothing to do with the object of His mercy. A person who struggles with this Truth can blame their human partiality. Obviously, God doesn’t struggle with reconciling His impartiality while having mercy on some but not all. That’s a human issue, not a godly one. Again, we humans like to impose our sense of “fairness” on God by citing His own impartiality. As Paul wrote: “But who are you, O man, to answer back to God” (Romans 9:20)? ‘Nough said.
The question asked in the title of this blog is, “What does partiality mean to you?” Does it mean that you get to dictate to God what “fair” is based on His claim to impartiality, as if to say, “Since you did this to one person you must do it for all”? The answer is an emphatic “No!” For the record, you should thank God every day that you haven’t received that kind of justice in your own life! Give that some thought. Can you imagine if God decided to be completely unmerciful towards you and give you everything you deserved?!! Yikes.
My recommendation on this topic of partiality/impartiality is that when you see it in Holy Scripture, always trace it back to the Fall in the Garden. Also, always remember that in the context of God’s justice, partiality didn’t exist before the Fall because Adam and Eve weren’t polluted with the generator of partiality, namely sin. Partiality pervades the human experience because of the Fall. Well, God never fell, so for Him there is no such influence in His existence. Everything He ever does, or plans to do in the future, is strictly impartial and in alignment with His sovereignty.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
– Ephesians 1:3-6
I pray you understand both the origin and the necessity of the words partiality and impartiality in the human language. Whenever you encounter either word in your Bible, ensure you remember the harmony of God’s impartiality with His sovereignty, so you may better understand the context of what you’re reading in the grand scheme of things.
Love in Christ,
Ed Collins