No Partiality

• You are all equally worthless- The sin of partiality
• When I was in the Army, in basic training, they made it abundantly clear- You are all equal, and will all be treated equally. “The Only color we recognize in this Army is green. You are all green, and you are all equally worthless” 
• It’s a quip statement. It simplifies a lot and doesn’t really give much space for discussion. 
• The Army didn’t care where we came from, what our families did, what we had, our education. We were all privates. We knew nothing, had nothing and had accomplished nothing so we were worth nothing, and were treated as such. We were all equally worthless
• In America currently in Government, Education and Corporate America they are doing whatever they can to do divide America by Race, Class, Economics, education, religion etc. 
• They use the language of oppressor and oppressed. Intersectionality. Microagressions. Antiracist. Cultural appropriation. Equitable. Equity. Inclusivity. Bias. Supremacy. Privilege. Justice. Systemic. Woke. These words are not the words of the Bible. Not for the Church. 
• There are many words and phrases that are currently being used to divide. Infiltrating church 
• We, as the people of God, must not let the systems of the world divide us as the people of God. 
• This current approach is not grounded in Bible truth, and we as Christians cannot begin to use this language and process and call it the Gospel, some people are trying to do. Make everything based on Race, and the focus of Christianity to be on fixing racism. Fixing society is not Gospel. 
• The problem is that this current approach lacks any of the central core truths of Christianity- Forgiveness, love, mercy and reconciliation. It merely puts us at odds against each other. 
• Why am I talking about this? Because the world is. I don’t want the world to infiltrate. 

1. What it doesn’t mean

• This doesn’t mean that we as Christians ignore the reality of people in America and our church who have not been/continue to be not treated well. We listen to anyone talk about their life. 
• This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t vote/get involved in projects that give everyone in America an equal chance at the dream. You can get non-violently involved (don’t join groups)
• This doesn’t mean that we silence those in Church and relationship that have experienced and continue to experience trauma related to the melanin of their skin. Our stories influence us. 
• This doesn’t mean that we pretend we are not different shades of melanin with different cultural experiences in America that invariably affect our life and Faith. Diversity exists. 

2. What it does mean

• We do not let the world define who we are inside the Church. God defines us. 
• We do not let the world divide us inside the Church. We maintain biblical unity. We are family
• We do not let the world’s declarations become our dogma. We are Christians foremost. 
• We love everyone regardless of their skin tone or socio economic background (Image deo)
• We intentionally recognize that we may not understand where someone else is coming from and build relationships so we can build the body of Christ
• We do not separate ourselves into groups of identity that bring division within the Church. 
• We do not pretend that there isn’t problems in US that need fixing. We just don’t divide over it
• We diligently continually check our heart to align with scripture- take captive every thought
• We Watch our own hearts and desires to make sure we’re not falling into sins of partiality

3. Where do we start. 

• What is your identity? How do you view yourself? What do you call yourself? Are You a Christian
• Your race, ethnicity, nationality, sin, activities, past sins, cannot be your identity if christian
• Your pain. Trauma. Past. Hurts. Slights. Destruction. Abuse. Any of it. That is not who you are
• People want an identity- and God gives you one- Child of God. You are a Christian. 
• There are no clarifiers in Christianity. No hyphenated Christians. Just Christians. Just him
• Either you believe we are all from Adam and eve or you don’t. You believe he redeems or dont

So how do we do that?

4. Think about ourselves correctly. 

• One- Don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought. 
• Romans 12:3 everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
• We are all in a world trying to figure out who we are and why we’re here. Racism gives into that. 
• Its quite the Western experience. We are allowed this privilege because we have the time
• We so desperately want to find our purpose. The “why” of why were here and what to do. 
• The beginning of true equality is putting yourself in perspective- you’re not better than anyone
• Gal 6:3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
• If you’re sitting around thinking about what you deserve and who owes you what you’re done
• And this is where the wars come from- within James 4:1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?
• People want pleasure, and when they can’t find it, they often blame others for their plight. 
• And in some instances, that may be true, but as Christians, we don’t have that right. 
• Two- Consider others better than you
• Phil 2:3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
• That means that you don’t sit around thinking about what you deserve, what you want, what respect you deserve, what advantages you are entitled to. Evil eye. Greed. Envy. Jealousy
• 1 cor 6:10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you.
• You remember what you were delivered from and who you used to be- honest with your past. 
• Three- Squash entitlement- 
• What do you think you deserve? Again, this isn’t to minimize anyone’s pain or accomplishment
• But Jesus- Phil 2:7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
• We serve a savior who showed us the way of humility and destruction of self- he poured out
• Proverbs 16:18-19 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. 19 Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, Than to divide the spoil with the proud.
• Pride is not a character trait of a Christian. Humility is- and that means taking the low place. Not fighting for the high place. Not worried about who has what and who is taking from whom. 
• Pro 26:12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

5. Remind yourself you’re part of the whole, not an individual. 

• You are going to stand before God on your own based on your own faith and practice
• But while you’re waiting for your individual judgment, God has placed you in the Body. 
• 1 Co 12:18 now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.
• You’ve now been placed in a body of believers and in that body of believers we don’t divide by our socioeconomic backgrounds. That’s not how the church is set up. We are a diverse body. 
• Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
• The ground is equal at the foot of the Cross. No one is better or worse than you and God does not describe and separate you based on your melanin or background. We were all sinners. 
• 1 cor 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink [a]into one Spirit. Colossians 3:11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. Romans 3:29-30 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Galatians 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. Romans 10:12-15 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Ephesians 4:4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
• When you came to Jesus, you were born again. Made a new creation. Transformed into the image of the likeness of the son. Moved from death to life. We were all worthless at one time
• Your title is now redeemed. Set free. Forgiven. Made new. A royal priesthood. Chosen gener. 
• But PASTOR- This is who I am! This is my identity! Show me that in scripture. 
• This is the devil’s plan, to divide us. To separate us. There is a separation- sheep and goats. 
• We are fixing to get deep into political season and they will do everything they can to get you identify as your intersectionality. White evangelical male veterans with a college education- lol
• Jokes on you buddy- I don’t vote for my own self interest. I vote for the Christian interest!
• But this bleeds over into the church– I wont let it. I don’t have white, black, brown members
• I have saved and about to be saved. Set free and still in bondage. I got doing the best I can. Holding onto the cross as tightly as I can. I got a bunch of people in the dark looking for the light
• This was a problem in the early church- The jews who came to Jesus were upset because gentiles were getting the same rights as they were. They thought they were better
• But Paul made it clear- There is no gentile or jew. There is only unity in Christ Jesus. 
• This is IN THE CHURCH. My first responsibility is towards Christians, not the world. 
• The world is not the Church. They are not trying to help us. They hate us. Not playing w them

6. Do not show partiality

• Partiality: unfair bias in favor of one thing or person compared with another; favoritism.
• Partiality can manifest many different ways- 
• Living in fear of your resources being taken from you or not given to you (Zero sum mindest)
• Giving preference to someone you think can help you get ahead (conniving, coercing)
• Separating yourself from people you deem to be beneath you (discounting others )
• Only Building relationship with people you think are just like you (falling into bias)
• Assuming the worst about someone based on what the world says about them (prejudice)
• Speaking, thinking, acting, feeling, minimizing someone from a group you do not know (racism)
• Job 32:21 Let me not, I pray, show partiality to anyone; Nor let me flatter any man.
• Partiality is sin according to the bible. Showing favor to someone is not biblical. 
• This was the way of Jesus- Matthew 22:16 And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men.
• Jesus didn’t play the worlds games. He didn’t stay away from people the world said he should
• He spent time with different races, people called mongrels, sinners, outcasts. Treated them well. 
• This has always been the way of God-
• Leviticus 19:15 ‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. Job 34:19 Yet He is not partial to princes, Nor does He regard the rich more than the poor; For they are all the work of His hands. Proverbs 24:23 These things also belong to the wise: It is not good to show partiality in judgment. Deuteronomy 16:19 You shall not pervert justice; you shall not [a]show partiality
• The truth is God does not act kindly to those who show partiality because he doesn’t. 
• Job 13:10 He will surely rebuke you If you secretly show partiality.
• God treats people equally. They are all dealt with based on his word on their own merits
• When we show partiality, we go against God. God even tells us to pray for our enemies, those who persecute us, those who seek to harm us. 
• Romans 12:16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
• If you think you have it all figured out, you’re better than someone, you’re in the wrong. 

7. Check your desires

• We all want to get ahead. We all want more. We want to have comfortable lives. 
• We love it when we get a raise, promotion, a blessing, more in our pockets. 
• Money, influence, power influences the economics of American politics. 
• We must watch our own desires. What we think about, desire and want from this world
• 1 Tim 6:6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
• Learn to be content. Learn to love what you have. Be generous, trusting, helpful, giving. 
• It doesn’t mean that you can’t try to improve your station, you just have the right heart about it
• You don’t see others as the barrier to your success. You fully submit to God and know he’ll take care of it. You don’t blame others, and you don’t withhold abundance. You live like Jesus. 

8. Get saved

• Let the Lord change your heart. Get Saved. Put all your eggs in the Jesus basket and be set free
• The Gospel is that Christ came to save sinners. Only God can change a heart. A Desire
• God made him who knew no sin to become sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God. 
• Only a renewed heart can grasp the truth of this message and see everyone as an equal and jettison any identity outside of Christ. 
• If you are being defensive of your skin color you need to check your heart color. 
• People say, what color was Jesus? I don’t know. But I know his blood was red, just like all of us
• Do not be polluted by the worlds systems. Give your WHOLE life to JESUS
• This is the peace that passes all understanding. 

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