When we enter in through the door of salvation, we are all equal in Christ on a level playing field. No one person is more important than another in the family of God, yet each has their own role with a united destiny, on a journey to be conformed to the image of God’s Son, Jesus Christ.
The apostle, Paul, declared our spiritual equality in Christ: “For you are all children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then are you Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise”, Galatians 3:26-29.
The emphasis from this scripture is that after we are born again we are all equal in Christ whatever our ethnic origin, position or gender. We have spiritual equality because we all stand on the same foundation in Christ. Whether we are male or female, we all have to enter into salvation through the same door, that is “through faith in Christ Jesus”. In this position we all have the same privileges and birthrights of salvation being equal members of the family of God.
Ephesians 4 has much to say about how we, as individual members of Christ’s body, all have a function that corporately should effectively fit, and serve, together under Jesus Christ, our Head. “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, who is the head, even Christ. From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body to the edifying of itself in love”, Ephesians 4: 15-16
In the remainder of the chapter Paul warns about the snares of vanity of the old sin nature. Whatever status, gender, or race we are, we can all take pride on board. Pride can be very subtle in creeping in, is always deceitful, self exalts and always corrupts. God hates it knowing it is the root of sin, and unless repented of in humility, precedes a fall in the life of His beloved children. He only, ever seeks the best for us and well knows the outcome of this corrupt seed when allowed to grow.
1 Peter 5:5-6 is very clear on this subject, if I am in pride, God will resist me. Do I really want God to resist me? “……all of you be subject one to another and be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time”. When the Holy Spirit convicts me of my error, the fear of the Lord and grief that I have offended my beloved heavenly Father, should bring me to my knees in repentance. God has provided the knowledge that there is an antidote to pride, and that is humbling, humility. Our Father loves it, the devil hates humility. Humility will always bow before God, worship Him for who He is, seek another’s wealth before our own desires, forgives and forebears. As I humble before God and walk in humility then the nature of Christ Jesus can flow through a surrendered vessel……all for His glory!
The above scripture declares “all of you be subject one to another”. We are all members of Christ’s body. I cannot afford to dismiss what another member presents to me without first holding it before the Lord. God can use anyone and any circumstance to bring a proceeding word from Him. God has many postmen/mailmen to deliver His mail! If the postman’s trousers are dirty, do I refuse the mail? Of course not!
1 Corinthians 12 instructs how every member of the body of Christ is important in their function. Warnings are given to us not to walk in judgement of other members and be dismissive of them. Here the subtlety of pride creeps in!
Let us not lose the joy and liberty of the ground Christ has given, and brought us into, by retreating to the former bondages of the old nature.
Pride is a yoke of bondage. “Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage”, Galatians 5:1.
Photo by Cornelia Schütz on Unsplash
