What We Should Think About Equality

When we were studying the serpent's role in the fall of man, we looked at Isaiah 14:12-14 where it says, 

"How you are fallen from heaven,O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High."

We took note that Satan didn't want to exalt himself above the Most High.  He wanted to be like the Most High. It is obvious that Satan is aware that you can't get higher than God.

The reason we looked at this scripture in relationship with the fall of man in the garden of Eden is, Satan called into question God's goodness and justice. 

"But the serpent said to the woman, 'You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil,'” (Genesis 3:4-5).  

He offered the same promise to Eve that he wanted for himself, to be like the Most High. In other words, equality.

The more you read the Bible, the more you will discover that God is a God of order.  From the creation story, to the way everything had to be just so in the tabernacle, there is order.  Within that order, we can find our perfect place.

All human beings are equally valuable in the eyes of God.  How do we know this?  Because He died for ALL to prove it. 

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life," (John 3:16).

 

There are faiths that teach inequality. For instance, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) teach that in order for a woman to get to heaven, she must be married in the temple to a good Mormon man. It would seem that the blood of Jesus was inadequate for her according to their teaching. 

Jesus died for all and His blood is sufficient for all.  Women are  given full access to God through Christ, and are equally valuable because Jesus died for them. But, women have different roles than men in God's order of things. 

I am not writing this to speak about women seeking equal rights or anything like that, although I'm convinced I can show you how God gave women far more rights that were offered to them by society. I believe women enjoy the rights we do today because of biblical teaching. But, I'm writing this to shine a light into one little dark crevice in our nature. 

The desire for equality comes from our innate selfishness. If you have ever observed a toddler for any length of time, you already know no one taught them to be selfish. As a matter of fact, sharing is more often the learned behavior.

Our nature perceives it as injustice when someone holds a position higher than we hold, whether it is the top of the monkey bars at the playground, or the presidency of the country. How many times have you said, or heard it said, " I could do a better job than him," or, "If I was given half a chance, I would blow them away with my mad skills!" That mindset is saying that it is not fair or just that one person is above another.

That's just crazy.  Not everyone can be president.

I am repeating this because we need to remember, it was the desire for equality that caused the fall of Satan. Not only the fall of Satan but, the fall of mankind as well.

Let's see if we can get some insight from the Bible. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 (I'm linking the passage because it is long) says that we are all members of the same body.

Paul makes a point by asking if the foot says it is not a hand is it any less part of the body. He goes on to say if everyone was an eye, there would be no hearing. God arranged the members of the body as He wished.

With that in mind, knowing that we can't all be the head of the body, let us also remember that we can't say to another member, "I have no need of you."  Think of the most base part of your body and then imagine your life if that part was cut off.  Not a pretty sight, right?

All of us have a place in God's plan within the body of Christ. We have already covered the plan of God for our lives in our study, "Does God Really Have a Specific Plan For Your Life," remember?  Read the word. Pray without ceasing. Go ye into all the world making disciples. Abstain from vain babblings. You know, read the Bible and know God's will.

Another thing we absolutely need to remember is that the Bible calls us to be living sacrifices and dead to sin. 

"He himself bore our sins in his body on the  tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been  healed."(1 Peter 2:24).

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship," (Romans 12:1).

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it  remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit," (John 12:24).

 

The truth of the matter is, living sacrifices are no longer their own and have no reason to demand equality, or anything for that matter.  We offer ourselves to the Lord for His service and, wherever He places us, we strive to perform His will perfectly.  That is our reasonable service.  

This is the bottom line. Paul says in Philippians 2:1-8,

"Then make my joy complete by being of one mind, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant (or slave)being made in human likeness. And found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death-even death on a cross."

If Jesus Himself, being equal with God, poured himself out, became a lowly man and humbled Himself to be obedient unto death on the cross, what does He expect from us? I would say He expects the same, humble obedience unto death.

God bless you and yours. If you have any questions, please email me at areasoningtogether@gmail.com. Thank  you for stopping by.