No Matter Your Circumstances, the Lord Shows No Favoritism
No matter your circumstances, the Lord shows no favoritism.
Romans 10:12 says: For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him.
The God of creation, the God of the Bible, the God of goodness and grace, the God of steadfast promises, our God: He has proclaimed that you are worthy of His grace.
Where man makes distinctions, we need to be reminded that God makes no distinctions. Those are words of warning to those who try to exalt themselves, but, Gospel grace for those who are poor in spirit and downtrodden. None are beyond the hope of Jesus Christ. That means that we all have access to the immovable richness that is the cornerstone of our Heavenly Father’s heart. We all need that reminder.
Here are a few points to ponder on this verse:
(1) Certain groups can stigmatize everyone
Why do you think that the distinction was Jew vs. Greek, as opposed to Jew vs. Roman? Rome was the dominant nationality at the time of Jesus and the early church. Greece, as a world power, had waned. But, the reality was that the cultural influence, both good and bad, of Greece was still very powerful at that time. Greek was still the dominant language; Latin wouldn’t overtake it for some time, even though Rome was in power. Greek influence was felt everywhere in the empire, and the Greek pantheon of gods had tremendous prestige and prominence. Even today, though there is a lot of overlap of Greek and Roman gods, we remember the names of the Greek gods more easily.
For a lot of people, Greece symbolized the world, both what was great and what was ugly. For the Jews, it was the world vs. them.
Today, as we examine history, we take the good and the bad and believe that we have the wisdom and compassion to separate the two. But, in the midst of trial, opposition, or struggle, there often is no separating the two for us. We know that there is, but we like to think ourselves superior, and so we lump the good and bad together until everything is bad. And it takes decades, centuries, often even millennia to realize the error of history and to go back and separate right and wrong.
In the words of Romans 10, it’s easy to read Jew vs. Greek, light vs. darkness, right vs. wrong. That stigmatizes the legacy of Greek influence. It’s interesting that Paul, as he writes to the church in Rome, uses Greece as the example instead of Rome. Do you think it might have softened his words for those readers by not classifying Rome as the great evil? Was it a nod to his Roman citizenship? Was there still more lingering frustration at Greek pagan customs as opposed to Roman paganism as a societal imprint? The reality is that Paul was seeking an end to the cultural hostility of distinctions. Paul says: let the stigmas end. Where all of everything evil was lumped into the legacy of Greece, know that even what you consider good has a heart conflicted with evil.
Setting aside religious understandings, there are people of other faiths who act morally. They show compassion, they pay their taxes, they have long-lasting marriages. But, if we get it in our heads that, because of the actions of one group of a nation, tribe, or tongue, all are beyond worthiness, we lump the good with the evil. There are many non-Christians who have made momentous advances in science and technology that we all take as norms in our lives today. We might be shocked, because of our present biases, about where those advancements came from.
We must always be aware of where our hearts are in regards to this. Jesus’ message is for the sinner and saint within us, and the opportunity for the saint to be born within those of whom we find greatest offense.
Don’t wait for history to sort out the good and the bad while we sit in group condemnation. Do it now.
(2) Don’t get fooled into thinking that the God we worship is the same God of another religion, just with a different name
When Romans says that the same Lord is Lord of all, some will be quick to argue that this promotes overlap of religions: same God, different name. Do not be fooled. Do not let people take this out of context and mash it together with other passages they say will support a worldly understanding that all paths lead to God, as long as you do good and make sure your praying to some god out there.
No, this passage is both a warning and a blessing. God will have His time of judgment, but now He is a God who is welcoming, seeking to unite instead of divide. Jesus came that all might be saved and reconciled under the all-embracing shelter of the One, true God. He will not share His glory with another, because all the gods made of human hands will let you down. They are flawed, weak, limited, and their interest is not in the people, but themselves. Only the God that we worship has His heart amongst His people. Only He cares as the true Creator can. Submission to Him, is a welcomed thing, because it brings a hope that is not a facade.
We all need to be reminded to stay steadfast, especially when we share our message with others. It’s easy to want to build bridges, and by doing so compromising part of our faith. But we must be aware of where we can build bridges and where we must remain strong and true to our theological beliefs. Do a simple Google search, and you will find many ways in which the gods of this world share commonalities with our God. Use commonalities to start the conversation, but remember that there will eventually be a line that we cannot cross in who God is.
(3) God is waiting for us to call out to Him
Simply call out to Him. He is there and He is available. He has no time management issues. He has no limitations. His willingness is there.
Jesus is busy gathering all to Him. His message is being heard by millions as we speak. His praise is coming out of the mouths of countless saints even now. God is hearing and hearts are changing. Faith is being created, sustained, and expanded with each passing moment. Prayers are being answered in overwhelming fashion.
That is the great invitation that our God scatters across this world. Once upon a time, Christians looked a lot alike in their appearance, cultural customs, worship, and praise, but now, as the Gospel goes ever further, we see such a rich diversity of arms stretched out to God. It really must be a grand sight from Heaven, witnessing people of every language and delineation and distinction calling out to God and receiving the fullness of His grace.
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Perhaps in our witness to others, we might consider sharing how God sees the praise of His people from on high. He doesn’t see an isolated country, sect of people, or specific skin color. He sees a world awash with His name, people chosen for such a time as this. Perhaps we can excite people by showing that they can be a part of a people they have not yet known. Borders mean nothing God. He wipes them away as surely as He wipes away the tears from our eyes. All are equal in the order of salvation.
No matter your circumstances, the Lord shows no favoritism. Amen.
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