Bible Readings for the Home Circle Part 197

Respect Of Persons

[Ill.u.s.tration.]

Peter In The House Of Cornelius. "Of a truth I perceive that G.o.d is no respecter of persons." Acts 10:34.

1. Of what has G.o.d made all nations?

"And hath made _of one blood_ all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation." Acts 17:26.

2. To how many is G.o.d good?

"The Lord is _good to all_: and His tender mercies are over all His works." Ps. 145:9.

3. Is G.o.d a respecter of persons?

"Neither doth G.o.d respect any person." 2 Sam. 14:14.

4. Who is accepted with G.o.d?

"Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that G.o.d is no respecter of persons: but in every nation _he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him_." Acts 10:34, 35.

5. What prohibitions are given in the Scriptures against having respect of persons?

"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." Deut.

1:17. "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 neighbor." Lev. 19:15. "Blessed is that man that ... respecteth not the _proud_, nor such as turn aside to _lies_." Ps. 40:4.

6. Of what are those guilty who respect persons?

"If ye have respect to persons, _ye commit sin_, and are convinced of the law as _transgressors_." James 2:9. "He that despiseth his neighbor _sinneth_." Prov. 14:21.

7. By what ill.u.s.tration is this sin made plain?

"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 a.s.sembly 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?" James 2:1-4.

8. What led to the appointment of deacons in the early Christian church?

"And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, _there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration_." Acts 6:1.

9. What mistake did Peter and others make some years later in their conduct?

"But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: _but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circ.u.mcision_. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation." Gal. 2:11-13.

10. How are all national, unholy, and unjust distinctions among men swept away in Christ?

"For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

_There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus._" Gal. 3:27, 28. See also Col. 3:11.

[Ill.u.s.tration.]

The Pharisee And The Publican. "I tell you, this man [the publican] went down to his house justified rather than the other." Luke 18:14.

Backsliding

[Ill.u.s.tration.]

Peter's Denial. "And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the Man."

Matt. 26:72.

1. How does G.o.d regard backsliding?

"Thy backslidings shall reprove thee: ... _it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy G.o.d_, and that My fear is not in thee, saith the Lord G.o.d of hosts." Jer. 2:19. "If any man draw back, _My soul shall have no pleasure in him_." Heb. 10:38.

2. What has ever been the tendency of G.o.d's people?

"My people are _bent to backsliding from Me_." Hosea 11:7.

3. What inevitably leads to departure from G.o.d?

"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you _an evil heart of unbelief_, in departing from the living G.o.d." Heb. 3:12.

NOTE.-Unbelief is "the sin which doth so easily beset us." Heb.

12:1.

4. In what ways did the constant backsliding of the people of Jerusalem manifest itself?

"Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? _they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return_. I harkened and heard, but _they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness_, saying, What have I done? _every one turned to his course_, as the horse rusheth into the battle." Jer. 8:5, 6.

5. To what is backsliding likened?

"Surely _as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband_, so have ye dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel, saith the Lord." Jer.

3:20.

6. To regain G.o.d's favor, what must the backslider do?

"_Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy G.o.d_, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed My voice, saith the Lord." Verse 13.

7. On what condition does G.o.d promise mercy to sinners?