Us vs Them: Attitude

Prejudice.

Racial prejudice has been an issue in our nation for decades and has even crept into God’s church. Of course, there are also other kinds of prejudice.

A person is marked as prejudiced whenever they prejudge others. Think about that term: pre-judge. A judgment is made beforehand. In other words, before learning about a person an evaluation is made. The individual is ‘sized up’ so that conclusions are drawn without knowledge.

Prejudice creates an ‘us versus them’ mentality. People are categorized into two groups, those who are more like me (us) and the others (them). Such division might be motivated by opinions about skin color, clothing, employment, economic standing, one’s accent or vocabulary, one’s state of birth, current residence, political preferences, hobbies, and the list goes on.

An ‘us vs them’ attitude justifies ‘us’ looking down on ‘them’ because of the noted difference(s). ‘We’ feel more comfortable or entitled to belittle ‘them’ because ‘they’ are clearly lower or lesser than ‘us.’ We are superior.

There is no ‘us’ and ‘them’ in the church. We are all children of God. Even though God has assigned different roles there is no human hierarchy. Our leaders, that is, our elders, are members of the body of Christ. Our deacons, preacher, and teachers are members of Christ. The youngest and least experienced Christian is as much a member as the oldest and wisest.

Consider the following Scriptures that emphasize our oneness:

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

--Galatians 3:28

For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 

--1 Corinthians 12:13

Speaking of our renewal in Christ, Paul wrote that…

...There is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Sythian, slave and freemen, but Christ is all, and in all.

--Colossians 2:11

It was told Jesus that his mother and brothers wished to see Him.

But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” 

--Luke 8:21

Without any further distinction or qualification...

But as many as received Him [Jesus], to them He gave the right to become children of God even to those who believe in His name.

--John 1:12

For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God...The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God. 

--Romans 8:14, 16

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

--Galatians 3:26

In Christ’s church, there is no ‘us’ and ‘them.’ Such an attitude causes strife and left unchecked, ends in division. Guard your attitude regarding your fellow saints in Christ. Remember that, even though we may differ in many ways, we are all children of God, and God makes no distinctions.

Mark Stinnett

May 24, 2026

My Favorite

What is your favorite song? 

It doesn’t have to be a religious song. 

Which is your favorite?

Why is it your favorite?

Have you ever stopped to think why your favorite is your favorite? The question applies to anything for which you have a favorite: song, meal, actor, hobby, season of the year, etc.

Your favorite (anything) is your favorite because you like it the most. (Go ahead and chuckle. It may not be deeply profound, but it is true.)

Having a favorite in any category is about personal taste and personal preference. It is all about the things that appeal to you most. A favorite often involves your senses. Yet, a favorite might be appealing to you on an emotional or intellectual level.

I have been told that a parent should never have a favorite child, but should love each child equally. Yet, there is something about that statement that doesn’t work in real life. The statement ends correctly by advising you to love each child equally. Yet, for each one of my five daughters there are specific areas in which each is favored. In that, I am simply acknowledging that there are common preferences and common interests that draw me to each one, but those preferences and interests may be different for each daughter. The key is to not allow those preferences and interests to govern my love for any one of them over the others.

With that thought in mind, turn your attention to the Lord’s church. I think we all know and understand that personal favoritism has no place in the body of Christ. Yet, God did not leave it up to our human reasoning.

Believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 

—James 2:1 (NIV)

Favoritism, partiality, prejudice: Whatever wording us used, an attitude of favoritism has no place in the body of Christ. There is no mystery as to how God views partiality.

If you show favoritism, you sin…. (v. 9)

We may have best friends. We may prefer one preacher over another, prefer one song leader over another, prefer one song over another. However, we must not allow our personal preferences to develop poor attitudes. We must not allow a preference of friends to generate a poor attitude toward other Christians. We must not allow our personal preferences to keep us from listening to the word of God regardless of who is preaching or teaching. Truth may be presented in a topical sermon or in a class in which passages of Scripture are examined carefully. We must not allow favoritism to form our attitude about the songs we sing in the assembly, or to affect how we think about prayers offered.

Favoritism is about your attitude. When favoritism is allowed to develop the way we value people we have sinned. When favoritism casts a dim shadow in our mind about the way things are organized or carried out by fellow Christians, we have sinned. If we find ourselves giving more thought to the pitch and tempo of the songs, the length of prayers, or mannerisms used by the preacher or teacher, instead of the content presented by each, we are listening to our fleshly preferences. Sin is near.

It is natural and proper to evaluate the way things are going in life, and that includes all things related to church life, even our weekly worship. However, we must evaluate with wisdom, with Bibles open, and not with attitudes of favoritism.

Mark Stinnett

March 3, 2024

A Handy Guide to Hate

One: To hate something or someone (this is really about hating someone), you must first settle on a distinction that differs from YOU. (It’s all about YOU!) The particular distinction is immaterial. It could be ethnicity, nationality, political stance, age, clothing preferences, automobile choices, music preferences…anything.

Two: Once you’ve decided on a particular category of distinction, you heighten your skills of observation. You take notice whenever those who are NOT a part of your distinctive group say foolish things, make poor choices, or fail. You also take notice when those of your distinctive group do and say things that you approve.

Three: You verbalize your disapproval of the other group and mock their mistakes and failures even if there is no connection between their group identity and their failures. At the same time, you champion the successes of your distinctive group even if their success has no connection to your group’s identity.

Four: Make subtle biased suggestions to those outside of your group to influence them to embrace your viewpoint. Be patient and look for opportunities to persuade them to come into your distinctive camp. One important aspect of your evangelistic efforts is to frame your comments in terms of ‘us’ and ‘them’ so that your intention is clear, but your language is indistinct. That makes denial of hatred easier.

Five: If you have kids, by all means indoctrinate them to embrace your prejudices and to follow your example so that your ideals will be perpetuated into the next generation.

Hint: Social media offers a broad range of tools to spew your hatred without ever using the word hate. 

Bonus: Social media comes with the protection of the sacred first amendment.

I hope that my sarcasm is apparent.

One of the most confusing things about our current society is that some of the most forceful haters are those who oppose hate.

What can a Christian say and do?

On one occasion Jesus was asked about the greatest command. In his extended response He said that the second great command is to love your neighbor. A man challenged Him asking, “Who is my neighbor.” Jesus responded with the well-known parable of the Good Samaritan. He set the parable up beautifully to expose and diffuse hatred. The good man who extended selfless assistance was a Samaritan, one among a distinctive group hated by the Jews. Two beloved Jews were featured, a priest and a Levite. Both ignored the man in need.

A priest was normally engaged in the offering of sacrifices and services in the temple while the Levite was involved in other services relating to the temple. Both were numbered among the religious elite in Jewish society.

So, the hated Samaritan was presented in a good light as one offering help. Yet, the accepted holy men were seen as uncaring.

Let’s not forget the injured man. In the parable he is faceless and unidentifiable. The Samaritan responded on the basis of need, not any distinctive category. He saw a person; he saw a need.

When Jesus concluded, He asked who proved to be a neighbor. It was obvious, the one who showed mercy. When Jesus said, “Go and do the same,” He gave us a peek into the heart of God, who is not fond of haters. God approves those, like the Samaritan, who respond to people and needs...with no distinctive categories.


Mark Stinnett

November 19, 2023

Prejudice

Prejudice is an old issue. We don’t have to worry about that any more. Right?

Perhaps the word ‘prejudice’ brings a specific issue to mind. However, the simple idea of prejudice is that of passing judgment on someone or a situation before having all the facts. It means to judge or decide beforehand: Pre-judge.

Prejudice is a word that describes an attitude of arrogance. Prejudice says, “I know, or I can figure it out without assistance. My ideas are better than anyone else's. I do not need to ask anyone.”

Prejudice presumes.
Prejudice assumes.
Prejudice ‘knows’ without really knowing.
Prejudice causes hard feelings; threatens relationships; strains friendships.
Prejudice causes separation, causes strife.
Prejudice destroys.

   Through presumption comes nothing but strife, 
   But with those who receive counsel is wisdom.
   --Proverbs 13:10