Scripture declares that all people are equal in the sight of God, and that all are equally in need of the redemption achieved through the saving death of Jesus Christ. All believers have equal status before God, despite differences in their social standing and background.
The equality of Father and Son
Jesus Christ claims equality with God
John 5:18 See also John 10:30; Matthew 11:27; John 17:10–22
Because of this, the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him. Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.
The apostles treat Jesus Christ as equal with God
2 Thessalonians 2:16–17 See also Acts 2:38; Galatians 1:3; Philippians 2:6; 1 Thessalonians 3:11; 1 John 5:20
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who by grace has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good word and deed.
The equality of all people before God
God is the maker of all people, whatever their status
Proverbs 22:2 See also Acts 17:26
The rich and the poor have this in common: The LORD is Maker of them all.
All people have sinned, whatever their origin or status
And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
God shows no partiality in his dealings with people
Deuteronomy 10:17 See also Job 31:13–15; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9; 1 Peter 1:17
For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God, showing no partiality and accepting no bribe.
The gospel is proclaimed equally to all
Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism,
All believers are one, whatever their origin, status or gender
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Equality among believers
See also 1 Corinthians 12:25; 2 Corinthians 8:13–14, 2 Corinthians 11:12
Believers must not give preferential treatment to the rich
James 2:2–4 See also Leviticus 19:15
Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you lavish attention on the man in fine clothes and say, “Here is a seat of honor,” but say to the poor man, “You must stand” or “Sit at my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
Believers must not show favouritism
James 2:9 See also 1 Timothy 5:21; James 2:1
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.