The Equality of Easter

I wrote this article for our church newsletter, but that it appropriate for my blog as well since it addresses the message of the Easter season.

How do you know if you are equal to other Christians? Do you look at your fellow parishioners’ clothing and judge whether it is more elegant than yours? Do you measure another’s ability to sing, play an instrument, or teach Sunday school and determine your worth in comparison?

We have all envied someone else’s talent, ability, financial status, or accomplishments at one time or another. Conversely, each of us is guilty of arrogant pride as we claim superiority over others whose social skills, moral conduct, or level of achievement does not measure up to our expectations. We judge ourselves to be either inferior or superior to our fellow Christians, but seldom equal.

One of the reasons Jesus was condemned to death was because He claimed equality with the Father. “For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him….he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.” (John 5:18 NIV). It is through this very equality with the Father, His power to take away the sins of the world, that the Son made us equal with each other.

No amount of material riches, political power, or number of influential friends can elevate any of us to a higher level in the eyes of God. When Jesus gave Himself in sacrifice on the cross, he died for all our sins. He didn’t divide us into categories that determined the degree of our transgressions.

Easter brings all of God’s children to a state of equality. None of us are worthy of the great gift of salvation that Jesus guaranteed when He claimed victory over death at the resurrection. Yet, we are equally granted the gift of eternal life when we accept His sacrifice.

This Easter, remember the equality you share with your brothers and sisters in Christ, as you await fulfillment of the promise written in Hebrews. “…Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:28 NIV).

Happy Easter and God bless you!

Thanks for reading my blog.