Election & Respect of Persons

Calvinism, with its affirmation of "unconditional election," makes God (logically) to be a "respecter of persons."

This has been the charge of Arminians, who rather believe in "conditional election," but, as we shall see, it is an unfounded charge. It is also ironic, for it is rather the Arminian who, in his view of a conditional or earned "election," makes God to be a "respecter of persons."

First, let us notice these passages that speak of showing respect of persons, and then see if we can discover what it exactly means.

"Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour." (Leviticus 19: 15 KJV)

"Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it." (Deuteronomy 1: 17 KJV)

"Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous." (Deuteronomy 16: 19 KJV)

"For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him." (II Samuel 14: 14 KJV)

"Wherefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts." (II Chronicles 19: 7 KJV)

"These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment." (Proverbs 24: 23 KJV)

"To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress." (Proverbs 28: 21 KJV)

"And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear." (I Peter 1: 17 KJV)

Peter confesses that "God is no respecter of persons." (Acts 10: 34)
And Paul also avers the same, saying - "For there is no respect of persons with God." (Romans 2: 11) Wrote James:

"My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors." (James 2: 1-9 KJV)

All these verses, taken together, describe clearly what it means to have "respect of persons." It is to favor one over another because of some superior personal characteristic in the one favored, and conversely, to show no favor, or ill favor, to the ones lacking this characteristic.

To show "respect," or special favor and treatment, to one because he is different, better, or superior, or because one is either rich or poor, virtuous or vain, etc., is to choose, show favor, or respect, based upon the "person."

To choose, favor, or "respect" one's "person" is to show "favoritism" or "partiality," to favor (reward) based upon some native or self-created virtuous difference of the person chosen or respected. This is what it means to "show respect of persons" and to say that God chooses the worthy, as the Arminian does, would make God's "election" of sinners, as I have shown, to be not only a "selection," rather than a gracious and undeserved "election" of the unworthy, but would also make God's "election" to be a clear case of his showing "respect of persons."