The Bible interprets
itself, using the context of verses and related passages to explain itself. The
question at hand, “Is God a respecter of persons”, is discussed in seven related
passages where the context in each passage is either Salvation, Judgment or
Rewards, which explains the application and intention of this precept. It makes
perfect sense and accords with the whole council of God that Salvation,
Judgment and Rewards would be universal precepts applicable to all saints.
Therefore, God is no respecter of persons when it comes to Salvation, Judgment,
and Rewards. Except for these three areas, of course God is a respecter of
persons: God is at liberty to deal with us differently, individually and
uniquely. He created us as unique individuals with unique pathways of
transformation, reflecting our uniqueness. We are born into different cultures
and life situations having unique mixtures of attitudes, proclivities and
personality traits, have different
innate interests and desires, are susceptible to different temptations, face
different trials and chastening, have different callings and giftings, and drag
behind a long train of unique and constantly changing life experiences. Jesus
said the way to eternal life is difficult: Our uniqueness makes our
confirmation into the nature of Christ uniquely difficult. (Acts 10;32; Rom.
2:11; Eph. 6:9; Col. 3:25; James 2:1; 1 Peter 1:17; 2 Chron. 19:7)
Some
examples: Job, a man whom God Himself called “a blameless and upright man, one
who fears God and shuns evil”, was chosen by God to demonstrate faithfulness
under the harshest of adversity – including the death of his ten children –
while his “comforting” friends suffered nothing. John the Baptist spent 30
years in the desert, wearing clothes made of camel’s hair and eating bugs,
followed by a three month local ministry and prison, before losing his head.
When’s the last time you seen a minister in camel’s hair clothes with locust breath.
Stephen, the newly appointed deacon, was stoned to death before he could get
new business cards printed, while Phillip, Stephen’s classmate in the first
class of deacons lived to a ripe old age, had a long impressive evangelistic
ministry, raised four godly daughters, and became the first, and so far the
only flying deacon, being instantaneously transported from place to place --
carried by the wind of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle John – the “disciple whom
Jesus loved” -- lived to a ripe old age dreaming of heaven, while the other eleven
apostles were tortured and killed in the prime of their life. The Apostle Paul, who wrote half the New
Testament and planted churches throughout the world, suffered far more than
anyone recorded in scriptures, was denied healing by God, and was beheaded in
prison, while Lazarus, a friend whom Jesus loved, was raised from the dead to a
long and peaceful life. God blinded one man for thirty plus years to demonstrate
His Glory, and blinded Pharaoh’s heart, leading to his destruction. Jesus
healed only one person out of the “great multitude of sick, blind, lame and
paralyzed” at the Pool of Bethesda. .
And then there is Hebrews 11 where the great overcoming faith of the
patriarchs is juxtaposed with the equally great faith of other unnamed saints who
were tortured, scourged, imprisoned, stoned, sawed in two, slain with the
sword, and left destitute, afflicted, tormented and homeless. “And all of these
– the patriarchs and the other unnamed saints -- obtained a good testimony
through faith.” (vs. 39) Hebrews 11:5 puts this in perspective: “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found, because God had taken him...”; Let’s understand this: Enoch lived a blessed life,
literally walking with God, then was transported home by God bypassing death. Enoch got a get out of death free card and was
transported away to paradise by God while other saints who were equally
faithful and pleasing to God were tortured, imprisoned, murdered, and left
destitute and afflicted! That sounds a little biased if you’re the one who has
a date with a tree-saw! God does not treat us all the same! He deals with each
of His children as uniquely created beings with unique personalities,
dispositions, proclivities, whom He has predestined to be conformed into the
nature of His Son. He is focused on our perfection... our transformation into
Christlikeness, and uses the unique circumstances of our life to mold and shape
each of us. Be God’s
ASK
ENOCH...
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