Impartiality of God’s Grace

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Impartiality of God's Grace in Distributing Spiritual GiftsGrace, by its very definition or essence, demands impartiality.

  • Grace is a free gift, meaning God provides it unconditionally, doing for us what we can’t do for ourselves.
  • Grace is the unmerited favor of God, meaning it’s not based on us earning or deserving it.

If, as 1 Peter 4:10 teaches, spiritual gifts are expressions of God’s grace, given on the basis of grace (Rom. 12:6), then He gives them without partiality.

What the Impartiality of God’s Grace in Distributing Spiritual Gifts Means

“Each of you” has at least one gift to be used to serve others. — “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” (1 Cor. 12:7) Here we see the all-inclusive nature of God’s grace.

We don’t have to live up to a certain standard or spiritual status in order to receive a gift. Factors like our achievements, gender, race, or age don’t move God to give us gifts. He distributes spiritual gifts on the basis of grace, not merit or any other quality within us. The gift(s) we have doesn’t mean we deserve it more than other people or vice versa.

What the Impartiality of God’s Grace Does Not Mean

“Whatever gift you have received” suggests we have varying gifts. Gifts distributed on the basis of grace does not mean without discernment. — “But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them just as He wanted them to be.” (1 Cor. 12:18) “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” (1 Cor. 12:11) “But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.” (1 Cor. 12:18)

We can trust God to know best. Whether given one gift or several, He enables us to serve in ways He deems best. It doesn’t make us better or worse than the person with less or more gifts. “Whatever” the gift, its use is significant in adding into the big picture of God’s grace — the topic of the next post.

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