When Jesus, in the beginning of his earthly ministry, was choosing his Apostles, he gave them a key doctrine reaching from the eternal past to the eternal future. It is a single verse upon which every other Christian doctrine stands and must agree with. It encompasses every Bible doctrine from The Eternal God, Love, Predestination, Creationism, Original sin, Christology, Forgiveness, Virgin Birth, Death, Resurrection, Universal Opportunity, Faith, Eternal Life, Heaven, Hell and all other Bible doctrines. That verse has become the most well known, throughout the world, of all the other verses. It is John 3:16 ...."For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." In harmonic unison with that North Star verse is the lesser known doctrine of Universal Equal Opportunity espoused in the heart of God where there is no pressurised prejudice
without reason. In John 3:16, Jesus plainly tells the world that the reason God gave him, Jesus, to die in the place of this sinful world, was that he "so loved the world" of people who were created in his own image and likeness. His heavenly Father paid that awful price for "whosoever will" (Rev.22:17), without distinguishing, by "respect of persons" between sinners... "For all have sinned ...." Rom.3:23.
Here are 13 more Bible verses that tell us that God does not show "respect of persons" between rich and poor, great and small, or men and women. Not only does he not show "respect of persons", but he commands that we are not to show "respect of persons" either. In fact, he says that "respect of persons" is "unrighteousness" (Lev.19:15), "unwise and not good" (2 Chron.19:7), and is contrary to the faith (James 2:1). He also says in these verses that he "hears" all people and so should we (Deut.1:17). The reason we are not to judge and have "respect of persons" is that God is the judge and that each person will receive judgement from Him (God) for the "wrong which he hath done" (1 Peter 1:17).
Here are 13 Lighthouse verses for Christians who would walk with Jesus in holy humility.
Leviticus 19:15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge
Deuteronomy 1:17 Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great...."
2 Samuel 14:14 "... neither doth God respect any person...."
2 Chronicles 19:7 "... For there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons ...."
Proverbs 24:23 These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
Proverbs 28:21 To have respect of persons is not good...."
Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons.
Romans 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
Ephesians 6:9 "... Your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.
Colossians 3:25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
James 2:1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
James 2:3-4 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool. Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of (with) evil thoughts?
1 Peter 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work ...."
Treating all people, no matter their circumstances, with respect is a cardenal doctrine and reveals a huge quality of Jesus. His great love for all people is rooted in their creation in the image and likeness of God. Jesus loved little children, the rich young ruler, the wealthy and the poor, the powerful and the weak, men and women ... equally. He loved the demoniac and the adultrous woman. He loved both thieves crucified with him. The one sealed his fate by believing on Jesus and the other by his disbelief. He rejected no one who did not first reject him.
When we subtract "respect of persons" from predestination, we have a pure predestination based on God's foreknowledge of every person rather than His foreknowledge being based on predestination, which is incorrect.
