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To: Dr. Eckleburg; HarleyD; Forest Keeper; MarkBsnr; D-fendr
Was God "partial" to the Israelites? Isaiah 44:1-3

I don't know, why don't we try to answer that question from a Christian point of view?

"for You are not partial to any." [Mat 22:16]

"God is not one to show partiality." [Act 10:34]

"For there is no partiality with God." [Rom 2:11]

"God shows no partiality." [Gal 2:6]

Christians further believe that it is a sin to be partial.

"But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors." [James 2:9]

The Old Testament shows that the Jews also knew this.

"God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe." [Deut 10:17]

"Who shows no partiality to princes."  [Job 34:18]

In the Christian mindset, it is to be understood that God, who is the Perfect Judge, is perfectly impartial, unbiased, shows no favoritism, or respect for human titles or external appearances of men.

To answer your question, God did not choose Israel so they can boast or claim special favor. He chose Israel to bring salvation to the world. He picked the Jews to do His work: to make God known to other nations, and not to boast about it.

"My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism." [James 2:1]  

(was that a barb directed at +Paul?)

I think your verse generator was made in Geneva. It's partial.  :)

6,983 posted on 09/22/2007 6:50:05 AM PDT by kosta50 (Eastern Orthodoxy is pure Christianity)
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To: kosta50; Dr. Eckleburg
Oh where to start? Your scriptural postings are taken out of context and bear no relation to partiality re the elect

Matthew 22:16 talks about Jesus not caring about a person's appearance, or whether he is wealthy or poor.

In fact what translation is it you are using anyway? The word "partial" is not in the KJV

Acts 10:34, is interestingly followed by verse 35

10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

Romans 2:11

is preceded by Romans2: 1-10 in which God is shown to judge all men fairly

2:2

But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

. 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 2:8 But unto them that are contentious , and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,

2:9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

2:10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

6,985 posted on 09/22/2007 11:23:39 AM PDT by 1000 silverlings (Matthew 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.)
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To: kosta50; HarleyD; Forest Keeper; P-Marlowe; blue-duncan; xzins; Alamo-Girl; Lord_Calvinus; ...
If you're going to use a Scripture generator, Kosta, you should use it correctly. Taking verses out of context when the context defines the verses is against the rules. (Maybe you lost the manual.)

God is not partial to men in that all men are fallen and all their works are as filthy rags. Only the righteousness of Christ saves anyone and that is something to which God is very partial.

God is not "partial to princes" means God is not influenced by wealth or title. Why would He be influenced by status, when it is God who confires all status in the first place?

As for Romans 2...

"Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

For there is no respect of persons with God." -- Romans 2:9-11

Sounds to me like God is very partial to those who "worketh good" and not so partial to those who "doeth evil." And this is because, as we further learn from our Scripture generator, only those who have been born again by the Holy Spirit can do anything righteous or God-pleasing because "whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Romans 14:23).

God is impartial to the works of men and very partial to the righteousness that is born of faith by the Holy Spirit.

"For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth." -- Deuteronomy 14:2


"For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure." -- Psalm 135:4


"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" -- 1 Peter 2:9

As Scripture interprets Scripture, we come to understand that God is no respecter of individual effort, but of Christ alone. And God's children, whom He has loved from before the foundation of the world, are all those who have been given faith in Jesus Christ as the propitiation for their sins.

"Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." -- 1 Corinthians 12:27

"My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism." [James 2:1] 

(was that a barb directed at +Paul?)

LOL. Not likely. It was Paul who wrote "But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord" (2 Corinthians 10:17).

So again Paul is reminding us that God is no respecter of men's works, but only of Christ's work on the cross and what the Holy Spirit accomplishes within His children.

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." -- Romans 8:37


"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us" -- Ephesians 2:4


"Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work." -- 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17


Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." -- 1 John 4:10

God is not partial to men's works, but to Christ's work alone. It is that work, freely given to us by God for His own good pleasure, which God sees within us and loves eternally

6,986 posted on 09/22/2007 11:44:59 AM PDT by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
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