God Is Not Playing Favorites

We’ve heard that He causes suffering to teach us, that He blesses some but not others, and that He’s pleased when we perform well but distant when we fail. But Romans 2:11 says God is no respecter of persons. He doesn’t show favoritism. Everything He’s done for one, He’s done for all. The problem isn’t on His end—it’s that we haven’t always known what He’s offering or how to receive it.

That’s why Scripture says God has given us “all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Pet. 1:3). Knowing the truth is crucial. But sadly, much of what people believe about God hasn’t come from His Word—it’s come from religion.

Religion Distorts. Relationship Restores.

Religion has often distorted the truth. Instead of pointing people to a God of grace and compassion, it’s painted Him as angry, distant, or cold. And many have walked away—not from God Himself, but from a misrepresentation of Him.

I’m not against true Christianity, but I am against religion. If you could see God for who He truly is—if you could glimpse His goodness, His mercy, His heart for you—it would change everything. You wouldn’t run from Him when you fall; you’d run to Him. When you understand the true nature of God, love and trust grow naturally. And that’s where real relationship begins. But to fully experience that relationship, you have to understand the shift that happened between the Old and New Covenants.

Old vs. New Testament

One of the most foundational things the Lord ever showed me is the harmony between the judgment under the Old Covenant and the grace under the New. I call it Christianity 101, because if you don’t understand what God is really like, you’re wide open to the devil’s deception.

This isn’t about arguing Old Testament versus New Testament. This is about your relationship with God. And I guarantee you, anyone who’s not sold out and passionate about God has a misunderstanding of His true nature. That’s a big statement. But the reason I say it is because if you think God is stern, angry, or unpredictable, you’ll keep Him at arm’s length—especially when you mess up.

Is God Different in the Old Testament?

I know there are passages in the Old Testament that seem hard to understand. You read about an angel that killed 185,000 Assyrians in one night, the death angel in Exodus, God smiting Miriam and King Uzziah with leprosy, and so on. At first glance, it can seem like you’re dealing with two completely different Gods. But the problem isn’t with God. The problem is with our understanding.

God did not change between Malachi and Matthew. He didn’t suddenly decide to be nicer. He’s always been merciful and full of love. In fact, Malachi 3:6 says, “I am the Lord, I change not.” So, what changed? The way God relates to mankind changed.

Under the Old Covenant, there was no new birth. So the only way God could deal with sin was through judgment. That was the covenant people were under, and it was necessary to point people toward their need for a Savior. It’s a lot like trying to tame a wild animal.

A Wild Horse and a Merciful God

To illustrate this, when my boys were young, they wanted a horse. We couldn’t afford one, but we prayed—and soon six horses were given to us. Two of them were beautiful Arabian foals, completely untamed and about to be put down. When I hired two cowboys to catch them, both ended up in the hospital.

So I prayed, and the Lord gave me an idea. I rigged a slipknot around a bucket of oats, and when the horse lowered its head, I caught it. And that horse—named El Shaddai—went absolutely wild. It hit the end of the rope, flipped over, bucked, and panicked. I tried to cut it loose, but it was running so wildly around the post, I couldn’t do it without getting trampled. Finally, after twenty minutes, it collapsed from exhaustion. I went over and put a halter on it, and from then on, I could ride it.

Now, I don’t recommend that method. But here’s the point: after that experience, the horse obeyed, but it trembled every time it saw me. It was terrified of me. I tried everything to win it over—I talked to it, sang to it, and even quoted Scripture to it! I wasn’t the enemy. I saved its life. The fear didn’t come from what I did, but from the wildness in the horse reacting to correction.

Likewise, people read the Old Covenant and assume God is harsh or cruel. They don’t understand the difference between the covenants, so they run them together and end up confused about who God really is.

The Turning Point Most Christians Miss

This may sound radical, but the purpose of Old Covenant Law wasn’t to bring us into relationship with God or reveal His love. It was to show us God’s perfect standard—one we could never meet—and remove any illusion that we could earn righteousness. Romans 7:9 says the Law makes sin come alive inside of us. It doesn’t help us overcome sin; it actually strengthens it.

The problem was that people were comparing themselves among themselves and thinking, I’m not perfect, but I’m better than most, so I must be okay. But God doesn’t grade on a curve. James 2:10 says if you break just one point of the Law, you’re guilty of breaking them all. So the Law wasn’t a checklist to get right with God—it was meant to expose how far we fall short and drive us to cry out, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner!”

The Real Reason God Gave the Law

The Law was a ministry of death and condemnation. It was meant to shut us up, not lift us up. It was never about earning relationship with God—it was meant to bring us to the end of ourselves. When people thought they were doing well, God raised the standard even higher so they’d realize they couldn’t make it without Him.

When you finally grasp how holy God is and how hopeless we are without Him, that’s when you begin to understand how great this salvation through Jesus really is. Under the New Covenant, Jesus bore all the wrath, judgment, and punishment that sin deserved. He took it all on Himself at the cross. Now God deals with us not based on our sin, but on what Jesus did.

That changes everything. If you’ve never truly felt the weight of your sin, you won’t fully appreciate the freedom Jesus bought for you.

Start Seeing God Clearly

I believe this teaching will transform the way you relate to God, so I encourage you to take advantage of the materials we’re offering. Understanding the true nature of God will change your life. When this really clicks, your faith will grow, you’ll start receiving from God like never before, and your life will become a powerful testimony of His goodness.