Page 40 - In His Image

Chapter 7

God Has No Favorites... or Does He?

"For there is no partiality with God."

Romans 2:11

Romans 2:11 tells us rather clearly that God is not a respecter of persons. What
He'll do for one, He'll do for all. He is not partial to one of His children over
another. Simply put, He is totally and eternally fair.

The Word of God is true. In John 14:6 we are told that Jesus is the "truth;" in John
1:14 we are told that the "word became flesh" and..."we beheld His glory, the glory as of
the only begotten of the Father..." The Word, Jesus and the Truth are one in the same!
Thus, we can safely and rightfully say, there is no partiality with God.

Why then did I "wrestle" with two key events in scripture, which appeared to
suggest partiality on Jesus' part?

Matthew 26:36-37
"Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, ‘Sit
here while I go and pray over there.’ And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of
Zebedee."

Matthew 17:1
"Wow after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high
mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them."

Do you see the dilemma! Twelve disciples, but only three are asked to witness and
be part of two key events in Jesus' public ministry. Why did our Lord single out,
not once, but twice, James, John and Peter? I found this puzzling in lieu of Romans
2:11 "for there is no partiality with God." God is NOT partial so there had to be another
answer.

The answer, which came to me through prayer was this, "1 have no favorites but I
do have intimates." The question I asked myself was does the concept of
•intimacy" validate Romans 2:11 or is it in opposition to it? If Jesus had favorites it
would have meant that He had to pick one disciple over another; which would

In His Image 31