Show no partiality. (Acts 10:34-35; Matthew 28:18-19; James 2:1-13)
Peter speaks of God’s perspective when he is sent to preach to the household of Cornelius. “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him.” That seems pretty clear, does it not? Peter says that God accepts “anyone” in “every nation” who reveres and obeys God. When Jesus, having been given all authority by God, sends His apostles out to make disciples, where does He send them? Jesus says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” There is no one excluded from “all nations,” and this is God’s perspective on the matter. When it comes to those He desires to be saved, His will is that all men would turn to Him. (2 Peter 3:9) This should come as no surprise when we consider what God is. “God is spirit,” Jesus says in John 4:24. He is a being that transcends physical existence, and so His utmost concern is that our spirits and souls—the very mind and will at the core of our existence—be devoted to Him. This has nothing to do with race, age, economic and social status, etc. When James is writing to members of the very early church, he also says, “show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.” He goes on to describe making such distinctions as being “judges with evil thoughts,” and says, “judgement is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy.”
From self-righteousness to contempt. (Luke 18:9-14)
“He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.’”
Jesus teaches that the practice of looking down on and mistreating others stems from a trust in myself rather than God, blinding me to my own sorry state of sinfulness in His presence. Racism is no exception to this progression.
God holds me accountable for myself. (Romans 12:17-21)
The fact remains that, as with all issues, the only person I can change and control is myself. We may look around us and see how people are mistreating others and responding in kind. Our hearts may be grieved by the injustices perpetuated by the leaders of our community and nation. Nevertheless, we can still choose to “repay no one evil for evil.” Certainly, all men will not desire to live peaceably, but as far as it depends on us, we can choose to “live peaceably with all.” To do this, though, we must remember that vengeance is God’s and He will repay. Our responsibility is to keep watch on our own selves so that we are not “overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”