Favoritism
Favoritism is giving unfair preferential treatment to one person at the expense of another. The Scriptures teach that “God does not show favoritism” (Romans 2:11 also Ephesians 6:9) “but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right” (Acts 10:34).
The Lord calls favoritism a sin: “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers” (James 2:8-9). This unjust treatment shows double standard in dealing with the rich and the poor. By showing partiality, the believers show they are unstable (James 1:8), halting between God and the world.
The Old Testament
In the Old Testament, Moses taught, “Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly” (Leviticus 19:15). In the courts of law, Justice is resembled by a woman holding a pair of scales in balance, her eyes covered so that she will not be influenced by seeing who or what is before her. To lean either way would be a perversion of justice (Leviticus 19:15). The Lord instructed, “Do not show favoritism to a poor man in his lawsuit” (Exodus 23:3).
The New Testament
And in the New Testament, the apostle Paul taught the leaders of the church “I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism” (1 Timothy 5:21). In keeping themselves “unspotted from the world” (James 1:27), church members should not allow riches and worldly position to be qualifications for church office, instead of the spiritual graces.
Therefore, Christians are admonished “not to show favoritism” (James 2:1). The apostle Paul taught the believers that “anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong” and that they should show “no favoritism” (Colossians 3:25). Christians are called to love one another as God loved them (John 13:34-35).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
