GOD IS NOT A MAN

In human existence, society creates classes based on one's political, economic and social status.

The wealthier you are, the more politically astute you are, the more accord and respect granted by members of the society.

This is even so amongst blood relations - more regard and respect is usually given to those who are well off politically and financially.

One consequence of such high regard for the well to do and well known, especially in most Africa societies is that they assume they can do things, especially wrong things, and get away with it.

After all, it would take one phone call to one of their "connected" associates to get them off the hook for malfeasance.

In western societies, you are only able to get away with malfeasance as a wealthy or political figure as long as the media has not heard of the matter, for once they do, justice must take its course.

However, the course of justice is usually not followed rightly even in such societies for there are instances when such connected people get away with wrong doing.

Therefore, human societies in every part of the world are filled with injustice, malfeasance and abuse of political power by those privileged to hold such positions.

Now, the beauty of our world is that we have a God, the Creator and Owner of the Universe, the heavens, the earth and all creatures in them Who is righteous, just and impartial.

He does not treat people according to social or political class but rather according to expectations of righteous and just living. No one can fault God's standards of right and just living because as long as people practise what He says, everyone will be happy - at least those who love what is right.

This is where God is not like human beings. He tells us in Deuteronomy 10:17, "For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe."

We are told in God's Word in Romans 2:11, "For there is no partiality with God."

It is written in James 2:1-10, "My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all."

God says in Exodus 23:3 "You shall not show partiality to a poor man in his dispute."

Dear friend, let us be clear about one point here, which is that God will judge everyone according to our deeds here on earth and the standard for that judgement is God's Word in the Holy Bible.

It is written in Romans 2:5-11 "But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality;

but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God."

Therefore, it does matter what one's social, economic or political status is, rather, what matters is how one has lived his or her life with regard to God's laws in the Holy Bible.

For Christians, professing Jesus Christ as Lord of your life does not confer automatic status of entering heaven. Our Lord Jesus Christ has made it clear that it is not all who call His name, Lord, Lord that would see His Kingdom of heaven, but rather those who do the will of His Father, God Almighty (Matthew 7:21-23).

For a non-Christian, that you do good that appears to conform to the commands of God in the Holy Bible does not automatically guarantee you entry into heaven at the end of your life on earth.

One very significant thing is missing, which is, believing and confessing the Lordship of Jesus in your life, and believing that Jesus Christ died for your sins, my sins and the sins of mankind.

Dear friend, the standard is the same for everyone irrespective of nationality, religious beliefs, race, political, economic and social status.

As long as you have heard Christ's Gospel message of Repentance and Salvation, you will be jugded on whether you accepted it or not, in addition to judgment on your conduct here on earth.

Yes, it is God's Word that says so in John 3:16-18, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

There is a third category of persons, those who died without hearing the Gospel. This is what the Word of God says in Romans 2:14-16, "for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel."

Therefore, dear friend, nobody can escape God's judgment and God will not show partiality to anyone but will use His Word in the Holy Bible as the yardstick to judge everyone.

The lesson, therefore, is that we should also be impartial in the way we treat people in our daily lives, whether our blood relations, other relatives, friends or complete strangers.

Everyone is created equal and God treats everyone equal.

I therefore urge you, dear friend, to return to God through Jesus Christ our Lord if you are still living in sin. Every wrongdoing that contradicts God's Words in the Holy Bible is sin.

Return today and now, for tomorrow may be too late.

May the good Lord bless you as you heed His Word today, act on it and share with others in Jesus' Holy Name, Amen.

Gabriel Ama.