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The Sin of Partiality
'Ready Answer' by Dan ElmoreThe partiality of various biblical characters caused No end of trouble. Likewise, we need to avoid partiality for the problems it can cause in the church.
Injustice in the American Courts (Part One)
Commentary byJust as the leaders of ancient Israel despised justice, the leaders of modern Israel have also given a pass to the guilty and condemned the righteous.
What Does 'Discerning the Lord's Body' Mean? (Part Three)
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeThe Corinthians were in danger of eating and drinking judgment to themselves because they were not being partial to Christ's spiritual Body as a whole.
The Face of Identity Politics
CGG Weekly by Richard T. RitenbaughIdentity politics involves a sense of grievance against the majority and a feeling that racism permeates American society and its institutions.
Standing Before God's Judgement
Sermonette by Martin G. CollinsWe must consider ourselves cooperating with a great cloud of witnesses, who had to jettison the weights that encumbered them, making them less vulnerable to sin.
Loving the Body of Christ (Part One)
CGG Weekly by John ReissMany have contracted COVID-19. As we reflect on the reasons for it, we must remember that God often provides solutions for several issues simultaneously.
Faith and the Christian Fight (Part Ten)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughLike with the heroes of faith, our testing will be commensurate with the job God has prepared for us. We must make our relationship with God our top priority.
Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment!
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsHuman nature tends to be partial and unfair, leading to harsh judgments against those it dislikes. True justice requires freedom from partiality or prejudice, which is achieved by first confirming that expectations were understood, gathering all relevant facts without bias, and avoiding any favoritism when determining appropriate consequences for wrongdoing. Partiality appears in unequal compensation for equal effort when favoritism grants greater rewards or privileges to some while denying them to others who performed the same work, a practice condemned in Scripture as injustice. It likewise surfaces when equal compensation is given for differing efforts, obscuring the connection between diligence and reward. James demonstrates the fundamental incompatibility between genuine faith in Christ and any display of partiality, declaring that believers must not hold the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ with partiality. The epistle illustrates this through the example of showing preference to a richly dressed visitor while directing a poor man in filthy clothes to stand aside or sit at a footstool, an action that makes one a judge with evil thoughts. Partiality is inconsistent with Christ's teachings, arises from evil motives, belittles those made in God's image, contradicts the royal law to love one's neighbor as oneself, lacks mercy toward the less prosperous, proves hypocritical, and constitutes sin. Those who practice partiality dishonor the poor whom God has chosen to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom. Because partiality violates the law of liberty, it leaves the offender subject to judgment without mercy, whereas mercy triumphs over judgment for those who extend compassion impartially. This call to reject partiality forms part of the larger requirement to emulate God's justice tempered by mercy and compassion toward all, including the vulnerable, so that human interactions reflect the merciful character that God Himself displays.
Values and Conversion
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughRepentance involves incorporating God's values, alien to our human nature—ones that will unify us with God and with others who accept His value system.
The Yard Stick of Judgment
Sermonette by Jared M. EllisGod's saints must carefully distinguish between judging situations and judging people. Matthew 7:1-2 warns that using flawed human judgment will boomerang.
Hebrews as a Sermon (Part Two)
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)God designed the sermon of Hebrews to motivate God's people, who are going through the same turmoil as those living in 65 AD, facing persecution from society.
God's Perseverance With His Saints (Part Three)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsThe unity Jesus appeals for with His disciples is not organizational unity, but unity within the divine nature, exampled in the unity between He and the Father.
The Secret Sin Everyone Commits
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsSelf-righteous people tend to trust in their own heart, be wise in their own eyes, justify themselves, despise or disregard others, and judge or condemn others.
Biblical Principles of Justice (Part Two)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughAre we ready, at this stage in our spiritual growth, to apply chapter and verse all the biblical principles that apply to a case?