God is not a respecter of persons?

[Chris V++]

After I became a Christian the first pastor I met that tried to convince me that I'm not yet a real Christian did so on the grounds that 'God is not a respecter of persons." He said this in response to my testimony to him that by some invisible hand of providence I was personally led to repentance and eventually baptism, and this involved God showing Himself to be God thru a series of undeniable coincidences and chance encounters with other Christians and unbelievers that compelled me to belief beyond any doubt and to an experience I can only describe as being 'born again.' No other words besides 'born again' define the experience so succinctly. This pastor who denied me as a Christian said that God wouldn't have arranged this experience for me since God is not a 'respecter of persons.' (which I later found in Acts and Romans) So it seems that in this pastor's interpretation of 'respecter of persons' meant that God wouldn't appeal to an individual on an interpersonal level and that all appeal to repentance is made thru scripture. Does Orthodoxy have an interpretation of these 'respecter' scriptures? If you were not born into Orthodoxy, how did you come to accept it so exclusively? Thanks in advance! Not intending to argue. Here's the 'respecter' scriptures:

Acts
33 Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.
34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

Romans
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

 

[ArmyMatt]

having worldly power and prestige means nothing before God is how I understand it

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

After I became a Christian the first pastor I met that tried to convince me that I'm not yet a real Christian did so on the grounds that 'God is not a respecter of persons." He said this in response to my testimony to him that by some invisible hand of providence I was personally led to repentance and eventually baptism, and this involved God showing Himself to be God thru a series of undeniable coincidences and chance encounters with other Christians and unbelievers that compelled me to belief beyond any doubt and to an experience I can only describe as being 'born again.' No other words besides 'born again' define the experience so succinctly. This pastor who denied me as a Christian said that God wouldn't have arranged this experience for me since God is not a 'respecter of persons.' (which I later found in Acts and Romans) So it seems that in this pastor's interpretation of 'respecter of persons' meant that God wouldn't appeal to an individual on an interpersonal level and that all appeal to repentance is made thru scripture. Does Orthodoxy have an interpretation of these 'respecter' scriptures? If you were not born into Orthodoxy, how did you come to accept it so exclusively? Thanks in advance! Not intending to argue. Here's the 'respecter' scriptures:

Acts
33 Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.
34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

Romans
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

I think that pastor is talking a load of rubbish and probably got his ministry qualifications out of a Cornflakes packet.

When it is said that God is not a respecter of persons, it means that He loves everyone equally, no matter who they are. He gives the invitation to receive Christ to all and does not discriminate between one person and another. When a person accepts the invitation, he is given the revelation of what the Gospel is all about and "saving faith" to be able to receive Christ. You could not have received Christ as your Saviour unless God extended His mercy and grace to cause you to say "yes" to Jesus.

You recognised His drawing of you to Christ through the events and coincidences that you experienced. God intervenes in the lives of people with the Gospel. He did it for me in 1966 by getting me to stand with and engage in conversation with a stranger, who was part of an outreach team going from Wellington to Picton NZ on the interisland ferry. He then witnessed to me and showed me Scriptures that I had never seen in the Bible before. This was because the Gospel was hidden to me up to that time, but the Holy Spirit worked through him and highlight the Gospel Scriptures to me. Then I knew that I need to receive Christ as my Saviour. He invited me to his church and that is a miracle story in itself in the way the service was run, the message preached and the type of altar call given. I received Christ and the rest is history. But conversion is just the entrance doorway leading to a journey through life with the Lord.

I conclude that the pastor who told you that rubbish has less grace than the pulpit he leans against when he gives his questionable messages on Sunday morning. You might be advised to give that church a miss and find one down the road which preaches the real Gospel and give you the right discipleship to boost you on your way with the Lord.

 

[HTacianas]

After I became a Christian the first pastor I met that tried to convince me that I'm not yet a real Christian did so on the grounds that 'God is not a respecter of persons." He said this in response to my testimony to him that by some invisible hand of providence I was personally led to repentance and eventually baptism, and this involved God showing Himself to be God thru a series of undeniable coincidences and chance encounters with other Christians and unbelievers that compelled me to belief beyond any doubt and to an experience I can only describe as being 'born again.' No other words besides 'born again' define the experience so succinctly. This pastor who denied me as a Christian said that God wouldn't have arranged this experience for me since God is not a 'respecter of persons.' (which I later found in Acts and Romans) So it seems that in this pastor's interpretation of 'respecter of persons' meant that God wouldn't appeal to an individual on an interpersonal level and that all appeal to repentance is made thru scripture. Does Orthodoxy have an interpretation of these 'respecter' scriptures? If you were not born into Orthodoxy, how did you come to accept it so exclusively? Thanks in advance! Not intending to argue. Here's the 'respecter' scriptures:

Acts
33 Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.
34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

Romans
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

Both of those instances pertain to the difference between Jews and gentiles as groups. It has nothing to do with individuals.

More on point would be John 6:44:

Jhn 6:44 - No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Whether we are drawn to him as individuals or the call is to everyone and we respond as individuals is unknown.

 

[Rescued One]

Don't depend on a man's words.

1 John 5
1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

When someone shares their interpretations, ask for chapter and verse, then go to the Bible and see how it lines up.

 

[ewq1938]

Act 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
Act 10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.



This verse is always misused to imply God treats everyone the same. That's not quite what it means.



Wesley:

Act 10:34 - I perceive of a truth - More clearly than ever, from such a concurrence of circumstances. That God is not a respecter of persons - Is not partial in his love. The words mean, in a particular sense, that he does not confine his love to one nation; in a general, that he is loving to every man, and willeth all men should be saved.

It means that no matter what race you are, you can come to God and love him and be loved back. It does not mean everyone gets treated the same or that God does not have favorites within those that follow him.



Barnes:

The Jews supposed that they were especially favored by God. and that salvation was not extended to other nations, and that the fact of being a Jew entitled them to this favor. Peter here says that he had learned the error of this doctrine, and that a man is not to be accepted because he is a Jew, nor to be excluded because he is a Gentile. The barrier is broken down; the offer is made to all; God will save all on the same principle; not by external privileges or rank, but according to their character.

Clarke:

Act 10:34 - God is no respecter of persons - He does not esteem a Jew, because he is a Jew; nor does he detest a Gentile because he is a Gentile. It was a long and deeply rooted opinion among the Jews, that God never would extend his favor to the Gentiles; and that the descendants of Jacob only should enjoy his peculiar favor and benediction. Of this opinion was St. Peter, previously to the heavenly vision mentioned in this chapter.

Gill:

And said, of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons; which is to be understood, not of the substances of men, but of the outward state and condition, circumstances and qualities of men; he respects the proper persons of men themselves, but not because of their outward appearances; he does not prefer or despise men, because of their being of this or the other nation, as Jews or Gentiles; or because they are circumcised, or not circumcised; or because they are high or low, rich or poor, free or bound, or the like: the true sense here is, that God valued no man the more, because he was a Jew and circumcised, nor anyone the less, because he was a Gentile and uncircumcised; and this the apostle found to be a most certain truth, of which he was fully persuaded; partly by the vision which he himself saw, and partly by that which Cornelius had, and which the more confirmed him in this matter: these words do not at all militate against the doctrines of personal election and reprobation; and indeed, those acts in God, are not according to the outward state and condition of men, or any circumstances that attend them, or any qualities they have, internal or external; but entirely proceed from the sovereign will of God

So this is what is being said:

Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is not concerned about what race a person is:
In any place around the world, a person that loves and respects God and worketh righteousness, is accepted by God.

 

[All4Christ]

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[disciple Clint]

After I became a Christian the first pastor I met that tried to convince me that I'm not yet a real Christian did so on the grounds that 'God is not a respecter of persons." He said this in response to my testimony to him that by some invisible hand of providence I was personally led to repentance and eventually baptism, and this involved God showing Himself to be God thru a series of undeniable coincidences and chance encounters with other Christians and unbelievers that compelled me to belief beyond any doubt and to an experience I can only describe as being 'born again.' No other words besides 'born again' define the experience so succinctly. This pastor who denied me as a Christian said that God wouldn't have arranged this experience for me since God is not a 'respecter of persons.' (which I later found in Acts and Romans) So it seems that in this pastor's interpretation of 'respecter of persons' meant that God wouldn't appeal to an individual on an interpersonal level and that all appeal to repentance is made thru scripture. Does Orthodoxy have an interpretation of these 'respecter' scriptures? If you were not born into Orthodoxy, how did you come to accept it so exclusively? Thanks in advance! Not intending to argue. Here's the 'respecter' scriptures:

Acts
33 Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.
34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

Romans
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

So how did this "pastor" describe his call to ministry

 

[~Anastasia~]

I would agree that that pastor misunderstood the application of those verses.

God desires everyone to be saved, and certainly through His grace interacts with us individually as only He knows how.

And I became Orthodox - at first by investigating some things I recognized as truth and wisdom, while wrestling against some I'd been taught were wrong - and then encountering the grace of God anew and more deeply than I had ever before and truly experienced that God is love.