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We grew up in America with the words of our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution burned into our brain and heart, especially the phrase inserted by Thomas Jefferson which states; “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”
Christians find solace in various scripture from the Bible that touches upon the subject of how God made us and treats us as we live our life. Contrary to what many believe, the Bible doesn’t contain the phrase, “All men are created equal”. God did inspire words to be spoken and written that adequately express how we are similar and how we are different.
Acts 17:26 In speaking to the Athenians, Paul stated that God "has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings"
Earthly wealth makes no impact on God's judgment. "If you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" ( I Peter 1:17-19). Riches never saved a single man.
It really doesn't matter who you are because "God shows personal favoritism to no man" (Galatians 2:6).
We all start out equal, in that we are all born without sin, but we do not all remain equal. "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality" (Colossians 2:23-25).
This same equality of treatment is to be reflected in the church. "My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, "You sit here in a good place," and say to the poor man, "You stand there," or, "Sit here at my footstool," have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called? If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors" (James 2:1-9).
If we choose to not believe the words of these quoted scriptures, then let us freely admit that when we die, no man’s fleshly body holds more value or power than that of any other man. We die with equality of body but not spirit and soul.
Observer - Giles County Observer