The lectionary epistle for Easter 3 in Year A is 1 Peter 1.17–23. In this section, Peter begins by reflecting on the significant of the impartiality of God’s love—he is not like a king who shows favouritism to some, by lifting their bowed face to look at him, but treats all equally—as Peter discovered in Acts 10.34 “I know that God does not show favouritism” using a word cognate word to the key term here.
The magnitude of what God has done for us in Jesus then leads him to explore the seriousness of our response to God’s grace. (For some reason, the AI video editor clipped out my pronouncing the key term ἀπροσωπολήμπτως! Apologies!).
My article on “impartiality” as the heart of the gospel is here.
The gospel reading is Luke 24.13–35, the encounter with Jesus on the road to Emmaus.
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Impartially. Means Objectively. Is not the core biblical meaning across contexts ‘objectively’.
Wilhelmus à Brakel says of the fear of God this: “Filial fear is a holy inclination of the heart, generated by God in the hearts of His children, whereby they, out of reverence for God, take careful pains not to displease God, and earnestly endeavour to please Him in all things.”
The Christian’s Reasonable Service, Volume 3: The Law, the Christian Graces, and the Lord’s Prayer
According to the Bible, God is pleased by faith, obedience, and a heart that seeks Him, rather than just rituals. Key actions that please God include trusting in His love, living in obedience to His commands, exercising humility, and showing love and mercy to others
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According to the Bible, God is pleased by faith, obedience, and a heart that seeks Him, rather than just rituals. Key actions that please God include trusting in His love, living in obedience to His commands, exercising humility, and showing love and mercy to others.
Key Actions That Please God According to Scripture
Faith and Trust: Without faith, it is impossible to please God. It is essential to believe that He exists and rewards those who sincerely seek Him.
Obedience and Righteousness: Walking in God’s ways, keeping His commandments, and pursuing righteousness rather than sin brings Him pleasure.
Humility: God opposes the proud but favors the humble. A humble heart that submits to His authority brings pleasure.
Worship and Thanksgiving: Offering sincere praise, gratitude, and acknowledging Him brings joy to God.
Love and Good Works: Showing love to neighbors, doing good, being generous, and supporting those in need are considered acts that please Him.
“Living Sacrifices”: Presenting one’s body and life as a “living sacrifice”—living in a way that is set apart and dedicated to Him—is considered a proper act of worship.
A Repentant Heart: God takes pleasure in sinners who repent and turn to Him.
Jana Carlson
Matt Marino @ The Reformed Classicalist Has a great piece on Divine Impartiality,
Easy reading and preach able. Shalom.
John 14:23 Rev 3:5 Rev 3:21
The object of God’s impartiality is repentance 2 Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Acts 17:30 Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.
The Bible consistently portrays God as a just and holy being who reproves the wicked to uphold His moral order and offer them an opportunity for repentance.
The concept of divine reproof is evident throughout the Scriptures. In the Old Testament, the book of Proverbs frequently addresses the theme of reproof.
Proverbs 1:23 states, “If you had repented at my rebuke, then surely I would have poured out my spirit on you; I would have made my words known to you.”
This verse highlights the conditional nature of God’s reproof, emphasizing the potential for spiritual enlightenment and understanding upon repentance.
In the prophetic literature, God’s reproof is often directed at the nations and individuals who have turned away from His commandments.
Isaiah 66:4 declares, “So I will choose their punishments and bring upon them what they dread. For when I called, no one answered; when I spoke, they did not listen. They did evil in My sight and chose that in which I did not delight.” God’s reproof is a response to the deliberate disobedience and moral corruption of the people.
Romans 2:4 Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance? Shalom.
“The dangers we get into with predestination and free will”. I’d love to hear more about that
Much, perhaps too much, time, thought, written and spoken words has been pored out over the centuries on these matters.
At one stage I spent a lot of time looking into it all, when no one else wanted to touch it with a barge pole.
Then I was asked to go through it with a member of a church we were part of.
We spent 2 hours a week for about two years, looking at what inevitable boils down to two basic positions, taken up by Pelagius v Augustine; Arminian v Calvin, considered under the acronism, TULIP.
There is much to be wary about, such as double predestination.
But, having visited this blog for a few years, that expanded discussion is not going to take place here, even when one part of scripture, is explicit or alludes to the topic.
As it happens, this past Sunday, I met again after years, at church a Welsh preacher, who thought highly of Martin Lloyd Jones. After one service. years ago we chatted about predestination and atonement, and laughed when he said he was probably a 4.5 Calvinist! The church at that time was led mostly by migrants from methodism, arminians. Yet the minister only admitted near his retirement that he’d been ordained into the Reformed church after subscribing to the Westminster Confession of Faith.
Does all of this matter? I’d say, yes. It affects how and what is being preached/taught and mission/ evangelism/ outreach .
For what its worth, I think the subject is best seen in the rear view mirror, with hindsight, after conversion, and there is a marvellous quotation from Charles Spurgeon which encapsulates that.
In other words, Geoff, your minister friend went from one reformed church to another one. Can you explain please what Pelagius and Arminius have in common. This might help us to see whether you understand what this actual ‘argument’ is about rather than the endless back and forth that evangelicals have made it.