PRÉCIS ON THE PARTIALITY OF GOD VS. THE PARTIALITY OF MAN: ‘NOLO CONTENDERE’

SCRIPTURE. “My fellow believers, do not practice your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of partiality [toward people—show no favoritism, no prejudice, no snobbery].” – JAMES 2:1, AMP

KEY TERM: “PARTIALITY.” ‘Prosópolémpteó’ [προσωποληπτέω]: “From a root word meaning, ‘To accept a face [or appearance];’ to be a respecter of person’s [rank or station]; inclination to favor one party or one side of a question more than the other; an undue bias of mind towards one party or side, which is apt to warp the judgment. partiality springs from the will and affections, rather than from a love of truth and justice.”

QUOTATION. “God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him.” ― NAN LEWIS DOERR, Praying with Beads, 2007; edited

COMMENTARY. “‘My brethren’ — The equality of Christians intimated by this name is the ground of the admonition; ‘Have’ — That is, ‘Hold; not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory’ — Of which glory all who believe in Him partake; ‘with respect of persons’ — So as to give undue preference to any on account of their external circumstances; honour none merely for being rich, despise none merely for being poor. Remember that the relation in which the meanest of your fellow-Christians stands to Him who is the Son of God, ought to recommend them to your regard and esteem. 

‘For if there come unto your assembly’ — Convened either for religious worship, or for deciding civil differences; ‘a man with a gold ring’ — Or, ‘having his fingers adorned with gold rings,’ as χρυσοδακτυλιος may be rendered. For, as the learned Albert hath observed, those who valued themselves upon the richness and luxury of their dress, were accustomed to deck their fingers with a considerable number of costly and valuable rings, frequently wearing several upon one finger. ‘And a poor man in vile (ρυπαρα, in sordid, or dirty) raiment, and ye have respect’— Ye show an undue regard to the former, and put a visible slight on the latter, without considering what may be the real character of the one or the other. 

‘Are ye not partial in yourselves’ — Or, as ου διεκριθητε εν εαυτοις may be rendered, ‘ye distinguish not in yourselves,’according to the different characters of these two men, to which of them the most respect is due, to the poor or to the rich; but only regard their outward appearance, ‘and are become judges of evil thought’s — Or ‘evil-reasoning judges,’ as the original words may be translated. You reason ill, and so judge wrong; for fine apparel is no proof of worth in him that wears it.” – JOSEPH BENSON, Notes on the Holy Bible, 5 vols., 1811-1818; edited

DK’S TAKE. I’ll be brief. I am convinced that one of the principal reasons the White American Church approves of DONALD TRUMP is because of his perceived ability to leverage their own material positions favorably.

Yup. So, sue me.