Texts:  Malachi 1:1-3; Roman 9:8-13  

Introduction  

In Part Two, I introduced this title and defined partiality. God is not partial; His sovereignty, as I had argued in the previous Journals, is not partiality.  In this Journal, I will begin with  some Scriptural proof of God’s impartiality.

Now, let’s examine Scriptures that prove God’s impartiality. Paul’s letter to the Church of Rome tells us that, “For God does not show favoritism” (literally, partiality). (Rom 2:11) In his letter to the Church of Colossae, Paul declares, “For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done and there is no partiality [with God]” (Col 3:25). To the church of Ephesus, Paul assures the slave owner, “Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality [Gk. prosopolempsia] with him” (Eph 6:9). In Romans 10:12 Paul notes, “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.” The Apostle Paul says, “And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me” (Gal 2:6). The Prophet Jeremiah said, “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will punish all those who are circumcised merely in the flesh— [this include the house of Jacob]” (Jer 9:25). The Apostle testifies about the impartiality of Christ, thus, “And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's  deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile” (1 Pe 1:17). Because of who God is, there is no flaw in His sovereignty.

One of the biblical truths that is confusing to some is God has a choice to do what He wills. The texts Malachi 1: 1-3 and Rom 9: 8-13 have dual meanings. As I had mentioned, these texts reaffirmed God’s election in Genesis 25: 22-23 and the word “hate” focused on Esau’s sin of rejecting God’s sovereignty and election in His redemptive plan for man. In his Commentary, Micah-Malachi (Vol. 32), Dr. R. L. Smith observes, “This   certainly is election language. ‘Loved’ means chosen and ‘hated’ means not chosen. But also there is probably an overtone of bitterness here directed at Edom. Edom’s origin is traced to Esau who was the older twin brother of Jacob.[1]’”Many scholars point at the covenant language in these texts, but fail to recognize the dual meanings: Esau’s sin of rejecting God’s sovereignty, which led to his constant fight and hatred against Jacob emphasized by the word “hate” is not mentioned by most commentators.  

To continued 

[1] R. L. Smith.  Micah-Malachi (Vol.  32)