Get Truth Get Life

BREAKING THE CHAINS OF DISCRIMINATION
KEY TEXT: Acts 10:34-35 (AMP) – ³⁴ Opening his mouth, Peter said: “Most certainly I understand now that God is not one to show partiality [to people as though Gentiles were excluded from God’s blessing], ³⁵ but in every nation the person who fears God and does what is right [by seeking Him] is acceptable and welcomed by Him.”
`“God is no respecter of persons.” Acts 10:34. He does not choose out a few persons, and shower favours upon them, and turn a cold shoulder to others, as not being in that exclusive “set.” All such action on the part of men is utterly opposed to the wisdom from above, which is “without partiality.” James 3:17. There is no partiality with God. He is willing and anxious to do for every man all that He has ever done for any man, yea, all that He does for His only begotten Son.” – The Present Truth, Volume 10, January 25, 1894, Page 50.6, E. J. Waggoner.
God shows no partiality to anyone, but He accepts and respects those who do His will. God called Israel His chosen nation so that He could bless the world through them. We see this in God’s calling of Abraham:
Genesis 12:3 (KJV) – “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
God wanted to make Israel a peculiar people (Exodus 19:4–5) so that other pagan nations could look at how blessed they were and turn to God. Thus, He gave them a peculiar structure. At that time, no nation on earth had God close to them as the Israelites did (Deuteronomy 4:7). No nation on earth had a law that was as righteous as the one the Israelites had (Deuteronomy 4:8). Israel had the peculiar, enviable privilege of receiving the Ten Commandments written by God’s own hand, the Creator of the universe.
By grace, God desired them to be positively unique. Positive uniqueness can be good, but sometimes it can lead to pride. In any society, wealthy people are very few compared to those who are poor. In any society, people with high levels of academic achievement are fewer than those who don’t. In any society, people who are positively productive are very few in comparison to those who are not. People who prioritize God’s kingdom and righteousness are fewer than those who prioritize other things. As a result, some people might think of themselves as more important than others.
People with high levels of academic achievement may think of themselves as higher than those who have lesser academic qualifications. Highly productive people might think of themselves as more valuable than those who are not. Sometimes these thoughts are projected in actions; other times they are projected through words, while at other times those with self-control may choose to hold them back.
God has not blessed us so that we can think of other people as lower than we are. God has not blessed us so that we can mistreat others. God has blessed us so that we can be a blessing to others (Genesis 12:3).
Abraham was from a household that worshiped idols. When God called Abraham, He did not call him because he was perfect. He called him because He wanted to make him perfect and make the world perfect through him. Jesus came into this world through the lineage of Abraham (Matthew 1:1). When God sent Jesus to die, He sent a perfect sacrifice so that the entire world (not just the Israelites) would be made perfect (John 3:16).
Deuteronomy 6:6–9 (KJV) – “⁶ “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:” ⁷ “And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” ⁸ “And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.” ⁹ “And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.”
God’s holy, peculiar law was to make the Israelites positively and righteously different from the rest of the world. They were to teach it to their children. They were to teach it to their neighbors. They were to write it on their gates, including the city gates. Writing it on their gates would be an effective way to teach strangers (foreigners) about it. In other words, they were to speak God’s Word to everyone they met.
God will judge us when we speak idle words (Matthew 12:36–37) because there is an abundance of God’s Word that we neglect to speak about when we choose to speak an idle word. Let your heart have an abundance of God’s Word, and you will witness your conversations change, because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34).
Unfortunately, even among Christians, God’s Word is rarely taught in homes. Pride is cultivated in the hearts of young children from an early age. Children are taught to be racists and tribalists before they even learn how to walk and talk. Prejudice against minority communities is cherished, and stereotypes are formed. Division has brought great disunity to the world, in which “We are better than them” is the controlling mantra of many ‘distinct’ groups.
The idea of division has caused great disunity in the body of Christ. That is why we have so many Christian denominations, each denomination thinking that it is better than the others. To make matters worse, there is also division among some members of the same church. In those small churches, members divide themselves into conflicting clusters such as the rich against the poor, the educated against the uneducated, this tribe against that tribe, and many other cluster groups. In some places in America, and maybe other countries, there are black churches (churches with dark-skinned people) and white churches (churches with Caucasian people).
Matthew 28:18–20 (KJ21) – “¹⁸ And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, “All power is given unto Me in Heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Amen.”
Before Jesus Christ left this earth, He told His disciples to go and teach the gospel to all nations. At that time, His disciples were mainly Jews. Christ could have told them to teach the Jews alone, but He did not. Instead, He told them to teach all nations without discriminating against any. Discrimination is not from God. Discrimination is an evil creation of mankind.
Acts 10 records a major turning point in the early church: the Gospel officially reaches the Gentiles (Acts 10:1–48). A Roman centurion named Cornelius, a devout man who fears God, receives a vision telling him to send for Peter (Acts 10:1–6). Meanwhile, Peter has a vision of a sheet filled with unclean animals and is told, “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common” (Acts 10:9–16). Peter realizes the vision is not about food; it means God shows no partiality and does not call Gentiles unclean (Acts 10:28, 34–35). Peter goes to Cornelius’ house and preaches Jesus Christ — His life, death, and resurrection (Acts 10:38–43). The Holy Spirit falls upon the Gentiles, just as upon the Jewish believers (Acts 10:44–46), and they are baptized in the name of the Lord (Acts 10:47–48).
Acts 10:28 (KJV) – “And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.”
Some Christians use the story in Acts 10–11 to say that in the new covenant, God has allowed the eating of the unclean animals that He forbade in the Old Testament. Acts 10:28 shows us clearly that the vision was metaphorical, whereby the unclean animals symbolized the Gentiles (unbelievers). Acts 10:28 directly links the vision to people and not to dietary laws.
Let us look keenly at the meaning of common and unclean as used in Acts 10:28:
“Common” (KJV)
Greek: κοινός (koinos)
Meaning: profane, ordinary, not holy, set apart, or unsuitable for religious fellowship
Context in Jewish culture:
Jews were considered God’s covenant people, set apart.
Gentiles (non-Jews) were often regarded as “common”, not part of the sacred covenant, outside God’s chosen people.
Peter’s vision overturned this idea: Gentiles are not common in God’s eyes; they can receive salvation.
 
“Unclean” (KJV)
Greek: ἀκάθαρτος (akathartos)
Meaning: ritually impure, defiled, forbidden under the Law
Context:
Certain foods, practices, and people (like Gentiles) were considered ceremonially unclean.
Jews were not supposed to associate socially or religiously with them (Leviticus 11; 15).
Peter realizes that ritual impurity does not define spiritual access to God; God’s grace extends to all.
Acts 10:28 shows us that human beings have no right to call anyone common or unclean. Only God has that power. He is the only One who has the power to cleanse from all uncleanness. We can use the word unclean for the animals that God calls unclean, but we cannot do the same to human beings, no matter how bad we think they are. God highly values all human beings. It is sinful to devalue them. Therefore, we should refrain from discriminating against people.
“The walls of sectarianism and caste and race will fall down when the true missionary spirit enters the hearts of men. Prejudice is melted away by the love of God.”— The Review and Herald, January 21, 1896, Ellen G. White.
James 2:1-10 (AMP) – “¹ My fellow believers, do not practice your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of partiality [toward people—show no favoritism, no prejudice, no snobbery]. ² For if a man comes into your meeting place wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes also comes in, ³ and you pay special attention to the one who wears the fine clothes, and say to him, “You sit here in this good seat,” and you tell the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down [on the floor] by my footstool,” ⁴ have you not discriminated among yourselves, and become judges with wrong motives? ⁵ Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters: has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and [as believers to be] heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? ⁶ But you [in contrast] have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress and exploit you, and personally drag you into the courts of law? ⁷ Do they not blaspheme the precious name [of Christ] by which you are called? ⁸ If, however, you are [really] fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, if you have an unselfish concern for others and do things for their benefit]” you are doing well. ⁹ But if you show partiality [prejudice, favoritism], you are committing sin and are convicted by the Law as offenders. ¹⁰ For whoever keeps the whole Law but stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of [breaking] all of it.”
James 2:1–10 speaks against partiality and discrimination, especially the favoritism shown to the rich over the poor, and labels such behavior as sin. James addresses “the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad” (James 1:1), most likely referring to Jewish Christians living in the diaspora. These believers were experiencing trials, economic hardship, oppression, and tensions between rich and poor, which makes James’s warning against favoritism especially relevant.
In the first-century Roman world:
Wealthy people wore gold rings and fine robes as visible status symbols.
Poor people often wore dirty or patched clothing.
Wealth determined social power.
Rich landowners sometimes exploited poor workers.
Legal systems favored the wealthy.
Early Christians met in house churches, often in homes owned by wealthier members. This created social tension.
James describes a real scenario. He describes a scenario whereby a rich man enters and is given the best seat. A poor man enters and is told to stand or sit on the floor. James says this is discrimination, evil judgment, a violation of God’s law (sin). Why? Because it contradicts the nature of Christ. He calls Jesus: “Our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.” The glory of Christ leaves no room for social snobbery.
James 2:1–10 teaches that genuine faith in Christ destroys favoritism. Social status has no value in God’s kingdom; loving your neighbor is not optional, prejudice is sin, and true Christianity treats the rich and the poor with equal dignity.
Some people try to fulfill the royal law according to the Bible (James 2:8). They keep the Sabbath day holy, they do not eat unclean meat, they dress modestly, they do not steal, they do not lie, they do not covet, they do not kill, and they do not commit adultery. By virtue of these, some of them often think of themselves as holy. Unfortunately, some of them are fond of discrimination and do not recognize that it is sinful. They do not know that by discriminating, they have broken the entire law, including those commandments that they claim to keep.
Discrimination is not always talking or doing something against someone by virtue of prejudice. Discrimination might be failing to do something because of prejudice. For example, failing to associate with or greet someone because of a certain bias toward that person is discrimination. Failing to act or speak against it because deep in your heart you hold bias toward the victim is discrimination.
Some Christians might say that they do not discriminate. They may claim that they talk to people of all races, all ethnicities, and all social backgrounds. They may be associating with all these people in their church community, which is fine. However, they should consider how they treat the person who is openly a sinner.
Discrimination is sinful. Discrimination is deadly.
These are some of the disadvantages of discrimination:
 
Discrimination limits you from fully acquiring and experiencing God’s Blessings
God’s blessings do not always come from the channels that you expect them to come from. Sometimes they can flow from those channels, but not always. This is because God wants you to exercise faith and obedience to His Word (Hebrews 11:6). He wants you to trust Him in the process, even when the process is not fully clear (Proverbs 3:5–6).
Most precious gems are usually hidden beneath the ground. You might be unknowingly stepping on ground that has gold and diamonds below it. When you are outside and you look at the ground, it looks ordinary. In fact, most of us barely look at the ground we are stepping on or walking on because we do not see it as significant enough to look at. You may hate walking on dusty or muddy ground because you do not want your shoes to get dusty or muddy, or you just do not like the experience of walking on such surfaces.
When people hear that there is treasure beneath the ground that they are stepping on, they will do their best to get that treasure (Matthew 13:44). Most treasures are not just found slightly beneath the surface. They are found far beneath the surface. One has to dig several feet below the surface to find treasure.
We often avoid going out in the cold because the cold weather does not feel good enough to be outside. Therefore, during the winter season, we try as much as we can to stay indoors. What if you knew that your breakthrough is out there in the cold, waiting for you?
Many people are tirelessly praying for things that God has already given them, but discrimination has blocked them from accessing them. A beautiful, blooming red rose flower that is planted by the roadside is not of the same human-given monetary value as an exceptionally clear, deep, intense “pigeon blood” red ruby that is fifty meters below the surface.
Why do I give a comparison between a red rose and a red ruby? Many of us determine the value of things by their surface-level appearance (1 Samuel 16:7). We often think that the one who dresses the best is the richest. The quietest one is the humblest and most thoughtful one. Your senior church pastor is the holiest person. The friend who always showers you with compliments and nice words is the truest. Sometimes all these assumptions might be true, but not always. Sometimes, God might give you discernment to perceive certain things or people beyond the surface level, but not at all times. This is because God wants you to spend quality time with them (Hebrews 10:24–25), since He wants to bless both of you through time spent together.
When you say you only limit yourself to talking to certain calibers of people, you are limiting yourself from accessing more of what God wants you to access. I once heard someone say that when she was doing her internship at a certain place, she did not use to walk with fellow interns. Instead, she would spend time interacting with the company bosses because those are the ones who hold opportunities.
When she said that, I thought that was really wise of her. Many people would agree with her thinking. However, when I gained a wealth of experience in interacting with diverse kinds of people, I realized that everyone has value because everyone is created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). I realized that what one might be looking for is in the hands of the one they least expect.
We need to ask God to help us genuinely love all people (1 Thessalonians 3:12). Not the ones we think we can benefit from, but all people. Not the ones who make us feel good, but all people. Not the most beautiful ones or the richest ones, but all people. Not the easily likable ones, but all people. All people include your enemies (Matthew 5:44).
We do not love people so that we can get something from them. We love them because God first loved us (1 John 4:19) and God has told us to love them (John 13:34–35). When we exercise faith and obey God in loving them, we will get so much more than what we expected to get (Ephesians 3:20). God desires to answer our prayers sooner than we expect Him to answer (Isaiah 65:24). If the Israelites had not disobeyed, it would have taken them eleven days to reach the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 1:2) instead of forty years (Numbers 14:33–34). Sometimes we are the reason behind our own delay in getting our prayers answered (Psalm 66:18).
The church project that the church is daily fasting and praying for and struggling to bring to fruition might be in the custody of one person whom they discriminated against (James 2:9). The homeless person you ignore might be the one God has ordained to connect you to your dream job (Hebrews 13:2). The man or woman who does not seem like your potential partner might be the one to introduce you to your potential partner.
Pastor T. Mwangi once spoke of a day when he was studying at university. At that time, he had released the audio of his song and needed to make a video. Fridays used to be a special diet day for them since they used to cook meat (probably beef) on Fridays. One Friday, he bought about an eighth of a kilogram of meat with his roommate, and they cooked it because, as students, they could not afford a bigger portion.
On that Friday when they had cooked meat, someone walked in asking for food. He was devastated that this man had walked in on the day they were eating meat and wondered why he did not come to ask for food when they were eating vegetables. This is because meat is more expensive than vegetables.
He felt like telling that man to go and come back another day. Before he spoke, his roommate decided to share with that man what they were eating (Hebrews 13:16). As they were eating together, Pastor T’s song played on Hope FM, a Christian radio station in Kenya. This impromptu guest was astonished to learn that Pastor T. Mwangi was a musician. He told him about his cousin who had the same name as him and who worked at a place where they shoot music videos. He connected him to his cousin.
When Pastor T went there, he realized that the company had an offer of a 50% discount on music videos. He also realized that it was that company that shot the music video of a hit song, which he had previously marveled at, and said in his heart that he would want to get a video of that quality. That 50% discount translated to about 150 US dollars, which he did not have. He decided to save money meant for lunch and managed to save around 55 US dollars. He gave the company that money as a deposit.
The company shot the music video, but they did not release it, awaiting his payment of the full amount. The company got tired of waiting for Pastor T to pay the entire amount and chose to release the video because they saw it was a great song and a wonderful video. The song Finje Finje (meaning 50–50, based on Revelation 3:15–16) became a huge hit in Kenya and a massive success. If they had failed to invite the man who came to their room asking for food, they would not have had the song’s quality video shot, or rather, it would have taken them longer than expected.
The blessings you are praying for might be in the hands of the person whom you discriminate against. Love everybody (John 13:35).
 
Discrimination limits you from getting more knowledge, understanding, and wisdom
Knowledge always comes through reading, traveling, and interacting. The more you read, the more you accumulate knowledge (2 Timothy 2:15). The more you travel, the more you gain knowledge, and the more you interact with people, the more you increase in knowledge.
The truth you do not know is dangerous because the truth you do not know hurts you unknowingly (Hosea 4:6). Monetarily, traveling and buying books might be expensive, but interacting with people is free of charge. You do not have to pay any amount of money to interact with most people on the streets. You do not have to pay money to interact with people in church. You do not have to pay money to interact with people at social events.
There is some information that you might be looking for, either actively or passively, and that information might be in the custody of someone who does not look like they have it (Ecclesiastes 9:16). You need to be more open. Holding on to yourself or to a specific group of people is limiting you from accessing what you NEED to know.
 
Discrimination limits your network
A common saying goes, “your network is your net worth.” The more right people you know, the better quality your life will be. Who is the right person? Most times, you cannot tell who the right or wrong person is. How many times have you thought that someone is the right person and they end up being the wrong person? How many times have you thought that someone is the wrong person and they end up being the right person?
In God’s kingdom, there is no wrong person. Everyone is made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26–27). We should handle everyone as God has commanded us to. When we do not do this, our interactions with people bear bad fruit. Sometimes, one may interact with someone in a godly way, and the person responds in an ungodly manner.
God is faithful even when we are faithless because He cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13). We should not allow other people’s harmful actions toward us to dictate how we should treat them. We should maintain rock-solid character since we are made in the image of the One whose Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1; John 1:14).
Some people take a lot of pride in ending friendships. Some people are not introverts, but they pretend to be introverts because they think it is a cool thing not to talk to people. You can limit interactions with people you find toxic or who do not align with your belief system, but help them whenever they come for assistance. Do not limit your network.
Matthew 5:42 (KJV) – “Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.”
Don’t turn away anyone who comes your way. Do your best to turn them to God.
 
Discrimination makes you less respected and more disliked
Your aim should not be to be respected and liked more by people. Your aim should be to keep God’s commandments, for that is your entire duty in life (Ecclesiastes 12:13). However, when people like you and respect you, it is undoubtedly a good reward.
Have you ever met someone whom you hold in high regard (probably as a role model) and they mistreated you? I heard someone say that he does not like meeting famous people he holds in high esteem because they may treat him in a way that makes him lose the respect he previously had for them. Many people increase their respect for someone when they realize that the person is kind and easily approachable.
Romans 12:18 (KJV) – “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”
As much as it is in your power, be at peace with everyone. As much as it is in your power, let people have a good feeling about you when they see you. You might be the best person, like Jesus, but people will still hate you. That is totally fine. However, do not let the reason why someone dislikes you be because of something bad you did to them or to anyone else.
Any highly perceived person in society ends up getting more respect and love from how people see them, while treating the lowest viewed people well. The opposite is true. How you treat the waiter or the janitor can really boost or lower your reputation. You never know who is watching. Treat everyone with respect and love.
 
In Conclusion
“When the Holy Spirit is poured out, there will be a triumph of humanity over prejudice in seeking the salvation of the souls of human beings. God will control minds. Human hearts will love as Christ loved. And the color line will be regarded by many very differently from the way in which it is now regarded. To love as Christ loves, lifts the mind into a pure, heavenly, unselfish atmosphere.” — Testimonies for the Church, Volume 9, Page 209, Ellen G. White.
GOD BLESS YOU!
 
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to see every person as You see them. Remove prejudice from my heart and teach me to love, respect, and bless everyone I meet. Use me as a channel of Your grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Activity
Step 1 – Heart Awareness
Reflect on your own biases. Identify any people or groups you unconsciously favor or avoid.
Be honest about where you may judge others by appearance, social status, or abilities.
 
Step 2 – Equal Seat Challenge
In any gathering (church, work, school, social event), sit next to someone you normally wouldn’t.
Observe your reactions and their responses. Note any assumptions you might have had.
 
Step 3 – Hidden Treasure Interaction
Intentionally engage with someone you wouldn’t normally approach. Ask about their story, interests, or experiences.
Recognize that valuable insights or blessings can come from unexpected people.
 
Step 4 – Unexpected Blessing
Do a small act of kindness for someone you might normally overlook—help, encourage, or compliment them.
Reflect on the effect it has on them and how it impacts your perspective.
 
Step 5 – Diversity Connection List
Identify 3–5 people this week from different social, ethnic, or age groups.
Interact with them intentionally: listen, encourage, or practically support them.
Note anything new you learn from them or any ways they positively influence your life.
 
Step 6 – Reflection
At the end of the week, review your actions. Ask yourself:
Did I notice my biases more clearly?
Did I treat people differently than I normally would?
What unexpected insights, opportunities, or connections did I gain?
 

Author: Mark Alex   

BUY MY EBOOK: A FAITH FUELED LIFE: I RUN ON FAITH AND I’M NEVER RUNNING LOW

A FAITH FUELED LIFE: I RUN ON FAITH AND I’M NEVER RUNNING LOW (Amazon): https://amzn.to/4atSjuO

A FAITH FUELED LIFE: I RUN ON FAITH AND I’M NEVER RUNNING LOW (Google Play): https://bit.ly/4i9fXQp

Email: gettruthgetlife@gmail.com 

Phone Number: +254710633247   

My LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-alex-0b87a9109/

PayPal: gettruthgetlife@gmail.com  

Revolut: revolut.me/markalex92