Jesus the Game ChangerSample

Equality

From Jesus we discover that all people are equal.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

These words from the U.S. Declaration of Independence are powerful, but they point to an assumption we have made in Western nations that is not globally true and is not sustained historically. We generally hold that ‘all people are equal’ and yet, it is not accurate for this to be considered self-evident. In the ancient world, equality was far from assumed. Some people mattered more than others. Women, children, slaves, and the poor often had little to no value in society.

These passages that were read today demonstrate the influence of the Bible on how we see people.

The idea that every person is equal does not flow from human reasoning but instead, comes from God’s revelation. The Bible tells us in Genesis that every human being, male and female, is created in the image of God. Jesus reinforces this truth in his parables, showing that every person is worthy of being sought and saved, like the lost sheep. And Paul proclaims in Galatians 3 that in Christ, the old divisions no longer define us:

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28 NIV)

Historian Larry Siedentop observed that Christianity radically changed how the world viewed identity. He wrote:

“Christianity changed the ground of human identity... by emphasising the moral equality of humans, quite apart from any social roles they might occupy... Christianity changed ‘the name of the game.’”

What our culture now takes for granted (the inherent worth of every individual) comes directly from the teachings of Jesus. Equality is not a modern idea; it is a gospel idea.

Reflection Questions:

• How does knowing you are made in God’s image shape your sense of worth?
• Who in your world is often overlooked or undervalued?
• How can you reflect Jesus by affirming the equality of others?