The Write Place

Often, we take categories from our culture before scripture, rather than building upon what scripture sufficiently gives us. In this article I want to tell you about the scriptural category of partiality.

Exodus 23:1-3
““You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. ² You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice, ³ nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit.”

The bible has already equipped us to understand these issues we commonly call issues of bigotry or discrimination. Scripture details this in a particular context as well, which you can see.

It was common in ancient society to favor the rich. Pagan thought assumed all favor shown in this world was an absolute measure of divine favor (all things worked out in this life). This is the background of the mistreatment of the poor in the Corinthian church (1 Cor. 6:1–11, 1 Cor. 11:17–34), and the resulting favoritism of the judges where justice was expected to be bent with a bribe leading to Paul discouraging lawsuits. Aside from the poor testimony on the surface of the practice, the pagan world would assume the rich would be tipping the judges favor through bribery. Likewise, they were still combating the idea that if the divine is in this world, it must be the divine will the powerful have power. Being rich was not the evil, but the ever-present bending of judgment in favor of the rich was the evil.

But notice the biblical command to likewise not favor the poor. Populists could incite the favor of the poor in any age, but God is also very concerned with the twisting of justice in any direction. Poverty does not gain God’s favor either. Aside from creating the problem of God’s blessing of material goods become a wrong, it would raise the question of how poor do you have to be for God to favor you over someone else. No, God does not favor based on economics. God’s grace alone imparts his favor, and the humanness of humanity is enough for God’s justice to be in play.

James 2:3-4
³ and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” ⁴ have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Notice, distinctions of value are condemned, but not classes. There are many rich in scripture who are so blessed by God. David, Abraham, Jesus himself are exceedingly rich. It is the leveling of judgment to favor an individual for something outside of guilt or innocence that is being condemned.

The human temptation is always to swing from one extreme to another.

We discriminated against one group, the subsequent temptation is to discriminate against the previously (real or perceived) favored group. God tells us we our equality comes in our humanity, and therefore in our level standing before the law.

Judged by skills or other merits do not take this away, but to take away from how God has placed his image in us, or based on our current station, does degrade our humanity. This is the issue with the sin of favoritism. God alone gets to say what his image looks like, and no human can play God and take away from that decision which God has made.

This basic principle can clearly and simply carry over into life today. Aside from economic distinction, we can apply to other bigotries in our contexts, simple or complex. Racial bigotry (as we understand them, in ways the ancient world did not) is unbiblical and sinful, even bending the law against someone for a sin they committed and denying them justice when they are sinned against is likewise the sin of favoritism. God’s law is timeless in morality and practice, and worthy of foundation through all ages.