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Does God treat different people differently?
Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 5:40 pm
by _Anonymous
The pastor commented today that the Lord treats us all differently because we are different personality types, is this true?
Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 7:02 pm
by _Anonymous
Hi Friend,
I'm really interested in people's answers to this question because my sister and I had an argument about this once. It turned out that we meant different things when we said "...treats us all differently..." Can you give more information about what your pastor said?
Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 7:49 pm
by _Anonymous
MIchelle,
He was giving an example like saying that his boys/girls being so very different that he treats them differently, well I treat my friends differently too. Some can be trusted more and some are not as deep etc....
I was puzzled to hear him say that God treats us differently...that all he said.
Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 2:40 pm
by _Paidion
God sometimes physically heals people, does He not?
If He treated everyone the same, wouldn't He heal everyone?
Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 12:39 pm
by _Steve
There is a difference between saying that God does not treat everyone the same and saying God gives preferential treatment to certain classes (e.g., adults, white people, rich people, free men, males, Jews, smart people, etc.).
The Bible and experience clearly show that God does not treat everyone alike. He has given different gifts to different people (1 Cor.12:4-7) and entrusted more "talents" to some than to others (Matt.25:15). However, these differences of treatment may not reflect different degrees of favor, so that one cannot conclude that God favors the man who has been given greater gifts more than He favors the man to whom He has given more modest gifts.
God does not honor any class of people more than another. This is what is meant in the oft-repeated expression "God is not a respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34/Rom.2:11/Col.3:25Eph.6:9/ 1 Pet.1:17). All stand before Him with equal opportunity to incur His favor. However, not all actually exploit this opportunity. Therefore, not all please Him equally.
God specially favors any who will humble themselves before Him (James 4:6/ 1 Pet.5:5) and who honor Him (1 Sam.2:30). There are special rewards that come upon thiose who love God and who choose righteousness (Ps.18:20; 50:23; 91:14), though those rewards may not always be material or earthly in nature.