Respect of Persons

1. This problem has been with us at least since the days of Moses.

1) “Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.” (Leviticus 19:15).

2) “Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.” (Deut.1:17)

2. In the New Testament, James addresses the issue. James 2:1

1) The obvious behavior of respect of persons (James 2:2-4).

2) God’s blessing on the poor contrasted with the blasphemy of the rich (James 2:5-7).

3) One has bound oneself to transgress all of God’s law (James 2:8-11).

4) The principle of bidirectional mercy (James 2:12, 13).

3. The issue is also addressed by recognizing, within Christ, the equality between masters and servants.

1) “And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.” (Eph.6:9).

2) ” Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.” (Col.3:11).

4. Today, we have the same enjoined upon us.

1) Do we turn our noses up at the one whose smell is less than fragrant?

2) Do we glance our eyes away from those whose dress is not as nice as ours?

3) Do we heartily shake the hands of the “clean,” but neglect the hands of the “dirty?”

4) Do we look down upon the “employee” and give favor to the “boss?”

1. Again, this has been God’s will for his people since ancient times.

1) The young must show true respect toward the elderly.

2) “Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD” (Lev.19:32).

3) God takes respect for the elderly seriously. “And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them” (2 Kings 2:23, 24).

4) This last instance teaches us that not only will God judge us based upon our respect for the elderly, but whether we mock/deride a condition which the elderly cannot control.

2. This issue is discussed by Paul and Peter.

1) “Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.” (1 Tim.5:1, 2).

2) 1 Peter 5:5 “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”

3. What is our attitude today?

1) Do we desire the company of the young over the old?

2) What are we teaching our youth when we put them on a pedestal while we neglect our elderly?

3) The first “program” that the church ever implemented, was not a youth rally, retreat, or summer camp, but meals for widows (Acts 6:1-7).

4) There is nothing wrong with these other things, per se, but to do one to the neglect of the other is showing respect of persons.

5) One day you will be old too, and then, how will the youth treat you?

6) What we teach our youth today regarding respect of the elderly, in both our actions and attitudes, they will practice upon us tomorrow.

1. What is meant by “clique-ism?”

1) There is the temptation to simply associate with those with whom we are comfortable every week.

2) Clique-ism is the idea that I have my own little group with whom I associate and basically politely ignore everyone outside of that group.

3) It is also the idea of accepting into one’s fellowship, the “beautiful” people, as opposed to the not so beautiful.

4) We ought not pretend that this does not happen here. It does.

2. Clique-ism is showing respect of persons among those who are saved.

1) We are the children of our God and God is no respecter of persons.

2) Acts 10:34 “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation (ethos) he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.”

3) Romans 2:11 ” For there is no respect of persons with God.”

4) Galatians 2:6 “But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:”

3. Clique-ism is ugliest when it is in the form of racism.

1) Racism is when we judge someone unworthy of God’s love and our fellowship based upon the color of their skin, their nationality.

2) God certainly makes no such distinctions.

3) The difference between racism and clique-ism is merely a matter of degree.

4. As children of God we must treat everyone equally in Christian love and fellowship.

1) “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous” (1 Peter 3:8).

2) “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” (Phil.2:1-3).

3) We are to submit ourselves “one to another in the fear of God” (Eph.5:21).