Is God Partial?

This question could be answered quickly and without explanation with a simple verse: "For God shows no partiality.” Romans 2:11 [ESV]. But, this is not a sufficient reply to that question and would accomplish nothing to answering it. What is the point of this question and why are we asking it? That in of itself is a good question. The question of whether or not God is partial is a question that is commonly asked. I think this is a valid question for a new believer and for the skeptic; albeit as it may, this is not only a question that deals with how God operates, but this also deals with His relationship with us and ours with Him. Common questions that feed into this one could be these: Why did God choose Israel and not everyone? And if God is sovereign and He controls who goes to heaven and hell, why isn’t He a universalist?

Before we can delve into answering the questions that will ultimately help us answer our main question, we must understand the fact that God is sovereign. The God of the Bible, the I Am, Yahweh, is the creator of the universe: He is king of the universe, Adonai. He is the king and He is on His throne, reigning as we discuss this topic. As the Psalmist writes, “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.” (Psalm 115:3 [ESV]). Just about every Christian would agree that God is all powerful, that He is omnipotent; but once we start delving into what that means, this is where some of us may start waning. God may do whatsoever He pleases; this is a fact, not an opinion. This is vital in understanding the rest of these questions.

Why did God choose Israel and not everyone? I would like to answer this question with a question: why did He choose anyone? The answer to this is simple, but some of us may not like it and it is because He wanted to. God is the creator; He can do as He pleases; and we are His creation. Think of it like this: God is the inventor; we are the invention. He is not obligated to choose anyone; and because of this, He chooses whoever he wants to in order to achieve his purposes. Yet God does choose certain people over others: how are we to deal with this fact? If God chooses one person over another, does that mean He is showing partiality towards the person He did not choose? The answer is no. As I mentioned earlier, God is the creator. He is sovereign over his creation. He can do as He pleases, there is no obligation on His part.

Okay, since God is sovereign and He decides who He shows grace to and who gets His justice, why doesn’t He just save everyone? Why isn’t He a universalist? God does not necessarily reveal why He doesn't choose everyone, however that doesn't stop us from speculating. We know that God is a God of grace and mercy, and we know that He is also a God of justice and wrath. For Him to save everyone, it would certainly show His grace and His mercy; however, what room would that leave to display His justice? Now that is one theory as to why God doesn't save everyone. But we also have some indication as to why God has not saved everyone in 1 Corinthians 1, where Paul tells us that God purposely uses the nobodies of the world to accomplish His decretive will in order to show the foolishness of man. If it was up to Man, we would have saved everyone because we don't truly believe that we are that bad to begin with; and if we did have to save some and not others, then we would have chosen to save the more affulent and powerful instead of the least of us. Either way His choice on who to save and not to save is not done arbitrarily. Everything is done in accordance to His will and for His glory. For example, in Romans 9:17-18, it states: "For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ’For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.' So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills."

Grace and mercy can only be grace and mercy if they are given when it is not deserved. Another thing to keep in mind is that we are in active rebellion against God. In our sin, we are children of wrath. God has the right to kill us where we stand. It would not be unjust for Him to do so; it would be just. The fact that He does choose to save some is an example of His grace and mercy as He owes us nothing. Who are we to question God? “Has the potter have no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?” (Romans 9:21 [ESV]). If the invention is faulty does the inventor not have the right to discard it?