God Is No Respecter of Persons

Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons. (Acts 10:34)

When I first read this scripture I wasn't too sure what was meant by Peter, "God is no respecter of persons"? I went online on Collins English Dictionary and it defines it as, "a person whose attitude and behaviour is influenced by consideration of another's rank, power, wealth, etc." I wasn't satisfied with that answer so I continued to look around for more understanding. The reason why I was confused is - isn't "respecter" a positive word, meaning "a person who respects someone or something"? Lets continue to read verse 35, "But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him."

Now we're cookin'! It means that Heavenly Father does not depend on our race, tribe, culture, or economic status. Everyone can receive blessings from our Father by obeying His commandments. To receive further light and knowledge, I will write down a series of Q&A's from "The Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles". 

Question

Why does Peter say that God is no respecter of persons? 

Isn't respect for a person a positive trait?

Answer

Yes, respect is a positive trait. The problem is that
the language has changed in meaning since the
days of the King James Version. The word person
was derived from the Latin persona, which meant
"mask", and referred to the masks worn by the
actors in a drama. Thus, the original connotation of
person was the outward appearance or
circumstances of the individual, including such
things as status, wealth, position, dress, or physical
appearance. The Greek phrase Luke used means
 literally "accepter of the face".

Question

So it really means that God is impartial?

Answer

Right. God is not like most men. He does not favor

one man or group of men over another on the basis

of social rank, ancestry, or other such surface
qualities. 

Question

But is God really totally impartial? Doesn't he bless
some of His children more than others?

Answer

God's impartiality refers to his basic treatment of
his children. Whenever someone is obedient to his
laws, he is blessed. Nephi  taught that the land of
Palestine was taken from its possessors by the

Israelites because of this principle. He explained:

Read 1 Nephi 17:32-38.

Some men receive more blessings from God
because they are more obedient to him. The
 impartiality exists because the laws form the basis

for blessings and not some outward, meaningless
 criteria.

Question

That doesn't seem very clear. What would be
meaningless criteria?

Answer

Suppose God said, "Well, you've been obedient but

you are a slave; so I can't give you the blessings."

That was one mistake of the Jews in the time of 

Christ. They felt that ancestry gave them some

inherent advantage with God. John the Baptist spoke

against that notion when he suggested that God

could raise up children of Abraham from the stones

(Matthew 3:9). Joseph Smith said this was a

figurative expression meaning the gentiles. (See

Teachings, p. 319.)

Question

But don't some people have an inherent advantage

by virtue of their birth, their wealth, or their talents?

It seems that a person born today in a land of

freedom and in a family active in the Church has a 

tremendous advantage over someone born in less

favorable circumstances. Doesn't that affect one's

ability to be obedient to God?

Answer

The time, place, and circumstances in which a 

person is born certainly influence his behavior in

profound ways. If that placement at birth was

simply a factor of chance, then it could be said that

God is partial. But we know that placement in

mortality is based on more than chance.

Question

Then what determines where and when you are
born?

Answer

We don't know in detail all the factors that influence

the circumstances into which we are born, but the

prophets have clearly taught that the basic rule of

obedience to law as the prerequisite for blessings

holds true in this matter as well.

Question

Meaning that the kind of life we lived in the

premortal existence influenced where we are now?

Answer

Yes. In this connection, President Lee made the
 following statement:

"You are all the sons and daughters of God. Your 

spirits were created and lived as organized

intelligences before the world was. You have been

blessed to have a physical body because of your

obedience to certain commandments in that

premortal state. You are now born into a family to

which you have come, into the nations through

which you have come, as a reward to the kind of

lives you lived before you came here." (In CR, Oct.

1973, p. 7.)

Question

But it seems as if some who are born into very

favorable circumstances are not very obedient.

Answer

True, but each person has his agency. If he does not

continue to be faithful and obedient, he will lose the

Lord's favor and blessings. Again note what

President Lee said about this:

"... there are many who were foreordained before the

world was, to a greater state than they have

prepared themselves for here. Even though they

might have been among the noble and great, from

among whom the Father declared he would make

his chosen leaders, they may fail of that calling here

in mortality." (In CR, Oct. 1973, p. 7.)

So the law is still the same. God blesses the faithful

regardless of their status, race, ancestry, or any

other outward qualities. He is no respecter of

persons.

Question

What are the implications of this for my own

behavior?

Answer

There are two important lessons to be learned. First,

if we wish to be godlike in our lives, we cannot base

our acceptance of a person on invalid criteria.

Question

Give me an example of invalid criteria.

Answer

It would mean not choosing friends on the basis of

wordly affluence. It would mean that all men would

be judged on the same basis, that girls would not

date on the basis of the boy's car, that dress and

fashions would never be the only basis for rejection.

If we really wished to emulate this quality of

godliness, it would revolutionize our interactions

with our fellowmen.

Question

I can see that. What is the second implication?

Answer

It has to do with our attitudes about ourselves.

A girl who was quite unattractive by the standards

of the culture in which she lived once asked, "Why

did God do this to me? Why couldn't my spirit have

been sent to a more attractive body?" If she

understood God's love and his impartiality, she

would know that outward appearance is irrelevant to

him. Furthermore, she would see that if her eternal

progression were really prevented by the physical

appearances she was given, a loving Father would

never have allowed that to happen. If she keeps his

laws, she will receive every blessing the Lord has to

give.

Question

So really, our position or specific situation in life is

 not as critical as what we do with it?

Answer

Exactly right. The leper who believed in Christ was

better off than the Pharisee who rejected him; the

repentant harlot who followed him was more

favored than the apostle, who betrayed him. Men

may challenge than ugliness. Life is sufficiently complex

to test and try every man. It matters little whether

the test is met in gilded halls of the palace or

the sweltering mud hut in the desert. God is no

respecter of persons. What a person is rather than

who he is will be the determining factor in the

judgement. President Lee explains further: "The 

Gospel of Jesus Christ was not intended just for a

continent or a segment of the earth. The gospel is

intended for every soul that walks the earth, they

are all the children of God..."

"Our responsibility is to bring to the world the

message of truth to show the world that within the

teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ are to be 

found the solutions to every problem that afflicts

mankind..."

"No matter where they live, whether they are rich or

poor, no matter what their station in life, their color

or their background, they are loved by us and we

desire to help to help them to achieve their highest

expectations..." (Church News, 15 July 1972, p. 4)

"For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified." (Moses 6:60) How beautiful is that? This promise is given unto all of God's children, for God is no respecter of persons. To add further witness, 2 Nephi 26:33 reads: "...he (the Lord) inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile."

I testify that God lives and wants to bless us all if only we will repent and keep his commandments. I encourage you to read the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. There is no other book that will get you closer to God. None! In Jesus name, Amen.

"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" (John 3:16)

Click here if video doesn't work: Peter's Revelation to Take the Gospel to the Gentiles