the one about equality in Christ

This has been weighing heavily on my heart. I get very emotional, very passionate and VERY defensive/protective when discussing this thus it’s hard for me to actually converse about it – God’s still working on me a lot when it comes to this! So, instead of discussing it I thought that maybe it would be easier to write. I feel that there is a common misconception in the world. There are some people who see others that don’t look “normal” to them, people whom have disabilities, and draw the conclusion that God must not have created everyone equal because of this. I know in my heart of hearts that this is simply not true. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God allowed my brother to have Cerebral Palsy and all of the problems that he had – He allowed it to happen. He allowed my brother to be born at 28 weeks, He had a purpose. He saw what joy Bubba was going to bring into our lives, He saw how having Bubba in our family would mold us and change us, He saw all that Bubba would accomplish in his life; the difference that he would make in this world, God saw the big picture, the entire picture, from the moment of my brother’s conception and He allowed it to happen. Did God see my brother as unequal? Heavens no! If anything, if we were measuring equality on a a stick we would all fall short of my brother! He would rank higher than us on every scale that truly matters. My brother never hated anyone, he had nothing except love for every person that he ever met. He didn’t rush through life, he taught us patience, unconditional love and acceptance. He touched everyone who was around him, his love of life and happiness was exhilarating!

Remember, we are BORN into sin – it’s the world that we live in that is unfair, unjust and unloving- NOT our GOD!! Now I would like to share some scriptures and other findings with you.

“So, why is there sickness in the world? Why does anybody ever get sick? Why would a loving God allow sickness? Why? Because of sin. When God created the world there was no sickness and there was no death. It was His loving plan that the man and woman He created would never be sick, and never die. He gave them just one tiny rule: don’t eat from the fruit of this one tree or you will die. (Genesis chapter 2 and 3) Our first ancestors, Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden tree, and death entered the world. That death was applied not just to them, but to all of their descendants, (us). “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.” Romans 5:12
 
Romans 8 says that this death applies not only to people but to also to all of creation. “Creation was subjected to futility. . .creation itself will be set free from its slavery to corruption. . . the whole creation groans and suffers. . .” Romans 8:18-22
 
We are all affected. The moment we are born into the world, we begin to die. The cumulative effects of damaged DNA, toxins in our fallen world, and a host of other things work away on our bodies and we all eventually die. Sickness is the beginning of the process of death. It is caused because we, people, are sinners”

John 9:2-7 ESV
And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Having said these things, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud …

2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Romans 5:3-5
More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

“Historically, we all come from the same ancestral source. From Noah and his sons “was the whole earth overspread” (Genesis 9:19). Before that all came from Adam “the first man” (I Corinthians 15:45-46) and Eve, “the mother of all living” (Genesis 3:20). There are no others, for God “hath made of one blood all nations of men” (Acts 17:26). The modern distinction of “race” is not the Biblical concept in which differences stem from the separation at Babel based solely on “every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations”(Genesis 10:5).
 
Genetically, we are “equal” as well. Now that the human genome has been deciphered, we know every human is so similar to everyone else that we are all essentially “clones” of each other. The various expressions we recognize are best understood as designed adaptations.
Personally, we are equal too. The Bible tells us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Thankfully, Christ “is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our’s only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (I John 2:2).
 
Eternally, we will be evaluated equally; based on our creed, not rank of birth. The unbelieving “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues” (Revelation 17:15) are consigned to judgment, while the redeemed believers gather around His throne singing His praises from “every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (5:9). The unequal rewards or consequences will be due to our choices and conduct after having an equal standing.”