The Holy Spirit’s Response
Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter asked, “Can anyone object to their being baptised, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” So he gave orders for them to be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several days.
Acts 10:44-48
Now for this question asked by Andre Adipradana:
- This thought came up in my mind about the title of this message. God shows no favouritism, but as I lookup countless times in the bible God did play favouritism, as in giving favour over someone that over someone else, example Joseph and David, Jacob and Esau. Doesn’t the statement contradict? Or is it just the angle of view that is different?
- Does God show no favouritism regarding salvation but for ‘other things’ such as the one He uses/picks to be His tools on earth, God does show different favour?
The matter of God’s favouritism is a harder one to handle. Not because the issue is hard but because of the way I have designed Deeper Bible, the teaching course I have developed with which the Gems are associated. The power in the approach of Deeper Bible is that it is designed to be a hands on, discovery course in the depth of the Bible. For that reason I don’t disclose the depths of truth hidden at deeper levels of the Bible until you have worked through the layers. That is what your Bible is like. Jesus said He set some Biblical truths in parables so that hearers wouldn’t hear or see the truth until they changed their heart attitude or sought with all their heart. It is not that the answer to this question is particularly hard or hidden in obscure ways but the problem comes with the layers of insight. Deep Bible answers are hidden in layers of truth in God’s Word. I designed Deeper Bible in a similar way because I was asked to create a course which led people into the depth of the Word of God layer by layer. Deeper Bible is hands on based on the principle of “Give a man or woman a fish and feed them for a day. Teach a man or woman to fish and feed them for a lifetime.” That is the power and the addictive nature of Deeper Bible. It is hidden in the self discovery design of the course which mirrors the self discovery nature of the Bible.
There are some questions I will not answer in the Bible Gems because if I do I open the answers I have designed in subsequent layers of Deeper Bible to those who have not done the deeper levels of Deeper Bible. If I answer a question like this one prematurely for people who have not got to that level of Deeper Bible then I ruin the discovery process. I don’t not want to do that. I am finding at the moment I have a number of logistical problems to solve in the matter of how to allow people full access Gems and Deeper Bible around the world when at present the Deeper Bible course is only available in Indonesia or in New Zealand. As soon as possible I want to get Deeper Bible set up as an online teaching package but that is still a long way off. (I am stuck finding the funding. Several times now the funding has been just around the corner – but unfortunately when I go around the corner there is still no funding.)
I know my answer to your question Andre is not going to please you. I suspect you have done Deeper Bible in Jakarta before. I recognise your name from class lists. (Right?) For that reason I am going to speak to this question in Deeper Bible terms – somewhat cryptically. People often accuse me in Deeper Bible of being cryptic. The reason is that I am preserving the discovery component of the Deeper Bible process and both encouraging and allowing you to make deeper discoveries for yourself. It is for that reason that I won’t answer this question in the Gems in a way that all readers can understand because it would blow the discovery component of deeper levels of Deeper Bible. Suffice for me to say at this stage, look very carefully at the Romans sense unit for Romans 12:1 at DB 201 level. If you have reached that level already and gone on “to find the answer” on the Romans sense unit in DB 301 then you are in a position to answer your own question. If you have not done those levels yet Andre then my advice is to do both 201 and 301. Sorry I can’t be more explicit than that here in the Gems. If you have got to level 301 and the Romans sense unit, then take the time to read over the whole sense unit a number of times until the answer to your question dawns on you.
I could have simply answered Andre in a personal email rather than include his question in the questions I posted in Gems. The reason I didn’t was that I was not thinking far enough ahead when I gathered the questions and included them all in the Gems for you to ponder. Hence I created this problem for myself and potential frustration for you Gems readers.
I apologise to those of you who read these Gems in their entirety and don’t just quote or retweet the cute, funny or deep quotes at the end of each Bible Gems. If you actually read the whole Gems each time then you get the more complete picture. But the fullest understanding comes with doing Deeper Bible to the deepest levels. Ultimately when I have it all worked out it will be released as an online training package. Wait patiently. As Joyce Meyer says, (quoted recently): Patience is not simply the ability to wait – it’s how we behave while we’re waiting. Do the best you can do and be the best you can be with what you find in Gems at the moment or take Deeper Bible at deeper levels when the opportunity arises.
The simple answer to your question Andre at face value and at surface level is that Peter is correct is saying that God shows no favouritism. Favouritism in the sense of playing favourites and pandering to certain sorts of people who may be able to do Him a favour in the future. That is favouritism from a human perspective. God does make choices and selects certain people but not based on showing favouritism. Rather God’s choice in selection is based on His principles and on His omniscient ability to know all things before He makes the decision. Remember also that God stands outside of time. He is not hampered by past, present and future. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. Therefore He knows what you are thinking before you ask it and He knows the future decisions you will make before you make them. God makes His choices based on that attribute of His character. I think I have now said enough. How is that God chose Jacob over Esau? A major hint I can give you is to suggest you reinterpret God’s seeming favouritism in the light of the end result of both Jacob and Esau in the light of that insight. Take another look at both Romans Chapter 9 and Luke 15 in the light of that. Telling you to look at Luke 15 with that in mind i know won’t make any sense to you, but it true that there is remez hidden in Luke 15 which points to Jacob and Esau. See if you can find it; if you can’t, progress in Deeper Bible up to level 301 as soon as you.
I am sure this is the most cryptic Gem I have ever written.
Why does it keep saying in Bible baptise in the name of Jesus Christ? Why do they say at baptisms in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost? Did Peter baptise them? But doesn’t it say somewhere that the Apostles didn’t baptise? Don’t just quote or retweet the cute, funny or deep quotes at the end of each Bible Gems. Read the whole Gems each time then you get the more complete picture. If you want the most complete picture possible take Deeper Bible to deeper and deeper levels. If you can’t take Deeper Bible yet because you don’t live in Jakarta or in New Zealand then wait patiently. Deeper Bible will ultimately become an online Bible Course available everywhere. (I am still seeking funding to make it happen.)
These residual questions left:
I saw the link between speaking in tongues and praising God. Is that always the case?
Why does it keep saying in Bible baptise in the name of Jesus Christ? Why do they say at baptisms in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost?
Patience is not simply the ability to wait – it’s how we behave while we’re waiting.
Joyce Meyer
Knowledge of the Bible counts for nothing if it is not put into practice.
Ian Vail
Progress Is Guaranteed To Those Who Pursue Improvement.
Robb Thompson
The problem with life is that it is so daily.
Anon