Are All Men Created Equal? Yes And No
Short answer to the article's title question Are All Men Created Equal?: yes and no.
In a sense, all men have been created equal. (the yes)
In a sense, not all men are revealed to be equal. (the no)
Some people are endowed with gifts and talents more than another person... thus are not 'equal' in this sense since birth.
However, God desires each man to treat another as an equal - as you would desire to be treated so you should treat others - thus the aim is to treat others equally.
To the case of not being created equal:
To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
- Matthew 25: 15
From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
- Luke 12: 48b
To being created equal, it could be understood that every human being is given at least one gift: life.
With the allotment of the breath of life, every human being is started off with a certain 'equality' in simple terms.
From those who are endowed with natural talents or 'more' in whichever measurable human or spiritual way, these are asked to do much more: to serve their fellow man in a greater capacity.
Thus the weight of responsibility is also not equal.
With more gifts and talents comes more demand and responsibility.
Since God granted any certain individual existence, each person has also been gifted choice.
Each individual is allowed to live their life as they wish... but God desires them to be faithful children.
Choice.
Obedience brings blessings and the experience of a life time (living life to the fullest).
Disobedience brings trouble and is a short-circuiting of one's purpose (exchanging God's glory for things of this world).
I think the concept of equality as understood in a political sense is built upon the Gospel teaching as derived from God's Law.
Equality being the effort of consideration towards others.
One place this concept can be found is here:
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
- Matthew 7: 12
Another place:
One of the teachers of the Law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Yeshua had given them a good answer, he asked Him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
“The most important one,” answered Yeshua, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
- Mark 12: 28-31
The Law is very specific when speaking to one's conscience and heart, and the Gospel consolidates the specifics of the Law when encompassing all of humanity.
God's Law is the inspiration behind the positive laws man has made for himself and is the aim towards perfecting society by perfecting man's laws fashioned after the Law of Love.
Where men fail to love God, or acknowledge the Messiah as Lord according to deed, here we find laws and attitudes in opposition to what God has established: namely His kingdom.
It is easy to understand how love for one's neighbor, and doing to others as you would desire they would do to you, is all encompassing.
No argument can defeat this... no other 'way' possible that brings about peace and exiles war and hatred to history.
Notice how one shouldn't be partial to a poor person if that poor person broke the law, and at the same time not to be partial towards a rich person.
Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.
- Leviticus 19: 15
Love asks us to consider others, placing ourselves in their shoes and in their position in society.
Love asks us to place ourselves lower than others, thus raising our level of responsibility in our service to others.
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy.
- Proverbs 31: 8-9
We each feel the challenges of the Law of Love on our hearts when listening to the news, or walking down the street, or in almost every aspect of life... even among the Church.
When we perceive someone to be wealthy or 'great' in our eyes (or society's eyes), notice how we may be tempted to treat them a little bit better than equal.
We are also tempted when, for example, we have certain thoughts towards a person whom we perceive as being poor or 'not as great'.
The world's history books from all cultural backgrounds are replete with examples of favoritism to one group of people while and hostility towards another group of people.
No religious group or political entity or ideology is immune, yet this manner is not what Messiah taught and exemplified.
Only in the kingdom of God is equality purposed and sacrificial service a calling of high position.
It can be said it is obvious from a basic rendering of any people's history how very little of the kingdom of God is reflected or promoted in any given society since Messiah was glorified.
This is in keeping with the reality that is the kingdom of God and how it is unseen.
Surely the kingdom of God has made its way in places unseen and unaccounted for... since the kingdom is only experienced through a rebirth of sorts, and lived out through actions, not simply words or theory or confines within human concepts of space and time and place.
Knowledge of, and a certain understanding of the kingdom of God, is how a man keeps the Law of Love in either defending and advocating for the poor, or telling the truth before beasts resembling men, or having no fear of the consequences of telling the truth... even sure death.
Why?
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
- John 16: 33
The lack of humility in acknowledging the calling to love one's enemy and treat others as you would desire to be treated is why no religion of men is able to bring peace to the heart, but only consistent war and conflict in the name of religion and a 'god' not found in the Messiah.
In fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or Me.
- John 16: 2b-3
When a believer is able to understand their high calling in using their gifts and talents to serve the lesser demographics of society, is when that believer is able to treat equally another human being who has been gifted less... and this service is done with pleasure and not with pride, with love and not with an aim to receive a return, with humility and not with a reason to boast.
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