HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 114
page A112
Equality See also Diversity; Fairness; Justice
One of the most encouraging messages of the Bible is that all people have equal value in
God’s eyes. How tragic that human beings have so completely abused this message. In
government, at work, and even in families, we tend to immediately size up our place in the
proverbial pecking order. Even more tragic is the fact that almost every great human tragedy
from war to slavery has occurred because one group of people felt superior to another and
would do anything to prove it. God established families, government, and work to function
well with a leader. Leadership is vital to order, productivity, and teamwork. The problem
comes when leaders abuse their authority and start acting as though their superior position
gives them superior value. When we fail to see others as equal in value, injustice and evil get
the upper hand. Being a child of God outranks any position or status. To look at ourselves
as superior to others in value is to devalue their worth in God’s eyes. If you long for justice
and fairness, it begins with seeing everyone as equal in worth before God.
Does God view people equally?
• G E NE S I S 1 :2 7 | So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he
created them; male and female he created them.
• PR O V E R B S 2 2 :2 | The rich and poor have this in common: The Lord made them both.
All people are created by God, have been made in the image of God, and have equal value
in the eyes of God.
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• NU MB E R S 1 5 :1 5 | “Native-born Israelites and foreigners are equal before the Lord and
are subject to the same decrees.”
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Men and women, rich and poor, foreigner and native, slave and free—all are created with
equal value in God’s eyes, although all have different roles.
• J O S H U A 1 7 :4 | These women came to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the
Israelite leaders and said, “The Lord commanded Moses to give us a grant of land along
with the men of our tribe.” So Joshua gave them a grant of land along with their uncles, as
the Lord had commanded. (See note on page 207.)
It was God himself who decided in favor of these women, demonstrating not only his concern for them but also the importance of equality between men and women.
• J O H N 3 :1 6 | “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that
everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
• R O MA NS 3 :2 2 | We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this
is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
• A C T S 1 0 :3 4 -3 5 | Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. In
every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right.”
God’s salvation is available to everyone.
• 1 P E T E R 1 :1 7 | And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites.
He will judge or reward you according to what you do.
• 2 C O R I NT H I A NS 5 :1 0 | For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each
receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.
God will determine punishment or reward as he judges each person equally and
individually.
How is there equality among believers?
• G A L AT I A NS 3 :2 8 | There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For
you are all one in Christ Jesus. (See note on page 1061.)
• E PH E S I A NS 2 :1 4 -1 8 | For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and
Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of
hostility that separated us. . . . Now all of us can come to the Father through the same
Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.
Faith in Jesus unites all believers as equals.