LOVE NEVER DISCRIMINATES

Love is the most natural thing for human beings. Yet, love is one of the best indicators of human heart, and its fallen nature. We all love people. Yet, when it comes to our own, we seem to have a special way of dealing with them. We seem to be more, loving, caring, generous, gentle, understanding, giving, ignoring any faults, and forgiving unconditionally. Isn’t it so? However, we don’t seem to be so kind, gentle and generous towards “others” – those whom we don’t consider our own. Don’t you think so? We seem to be without any guilt-conscience, when it comes to being so blatantly and openly discriminate the “others” in this world.

God doesn’t discriminate, neither should we as the Jews and the Church. Sadly, the way the Jews have understood the magnanimous heart of YAHWEH, is very discomforting, to say the least. We see in the words of Jesus, the very Son of God, found in John 3:16, something that should wake us all up.
– “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.”
We see here, the loving heart of God, and the universal scope of salvation. This position of YAHWEH, to love the “world” and rescue “everyone” clashed very seriously, and intensely with the view that Jews held, so very dearly, and which they still do. 

David Guzik, commenting on John 3:16 has these searing comments, which I am sure will shock us, to see, the flawed understanding of Jews, and their “righteous” discrimination, towards everyone else, who is not a Jew. Guzik points out two very important aspects of Jesus’ mission – the way of salvation, and the scope of salvation – and how it is diametrically opposite to Jewish thought and belief, about YAHWEH’s salvation.
– “What Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:7 (You must be born again) refuted the popular Jewish idea regarding the way to salvation. Now Jesus refuted the popular Jewish idea regarding the scope of salvation: for God so loved the world. iii. The Jews of that day rarely thought that God loved the world. Many of them thought that God only loved Israel. The universal offer of salvation and life in Jesus was revolutionary.”

Jesus of Nazareth, In the brief encounter with Nicodemus, a Jewish scholar, and a Pharisee of great standing, dismantles and destroys, two “sacred” theological positions, that Jews held very close to their hearts, as being the “chosen” ones. They believed unequivocally that, they are the ONLY ONES YAHWEH “CHOSE” and LOVES, in the entire world. Secondly, that God utterly hates and detests the rest of the people, whom He will ultimately destroy.

Remember the minor prophet Jonah? What was his serious and angry disagreement with his God? Jonah did not want YAHWEH to be kind, generous, merciful and gracious towards the sinful and wicked people of Nineveh. Jonah did not want YAHWEH to forgive the sins of Ninevites, so that, they can escape the righteous wrath of YAHWEH, and not bear His just punishment, which they deserved.

YAHWEH of old, and the God of the Bible, is not discriminatory, nor does He differentiates between people in the world. In God’s sight, everyone is a sinner…there is no difference or any special status for anyone…whoever they may be…Jews or Gentiles.
– “…For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” – Romans 3:22b-24

Rob Buckingham, the Pastor of the Bayside Church, writes in his article, “The Sin of Discrimination” something, that helps us see the point, that we are meditating here.
– “God doesn’t discriminate, and neither should his people (Romans 2:11, 10:12). “To show partiality in judging is not good” (Proverbs 24:23). Christians are required to follow God’s Word “without partiality, and to do nothing out of favouritism.” (1 Tim 5:21). We should treat everyone the same because “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus“ (Galatians 3:28).”

Having looked at God, and His love that does not discriminate, we should then conclude thus – GOD’s LOVE is UNIVERSAL, and it NEVER DISCRIMINATES anyone, NEITHER DOES IT FAVOUR ANY, because they are “CHOSEN” by God – Be it the Jews or the Church. God’s love is uniform and universal, and so is His salvation. May the LORD Jesus, help us to love anyone and everyone, without prejudice, discrimination and bias. May God help us, not to differentiate between, “us” and “them” – but rather, *be like the God of the Bible, in loving everyone, just like He does – UNCONDITIONALLY, and without any hint of DISCRIMINATION. Let us not be like Jonah…let us not be pharisaical, but be like Jesus, our LORD, and our Master, in our faith, walk and everything. Even so the LORD help us.