Under God, Equality Can Be a Trying thing Sometimes

[newton3005]

Proverbs 22:2 is interesting. It says, “The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of them all.” Does that mean that God determined that some will be rich, and some will be poor, or does it mean that God accepts that some He creates will end up being rich while others He creates will end up being poor? And does it matter?

The rich will have more worldly resources than the poor, but under God, do the rich have more rights, or, if you will, more protections under the law? Consider Romans 2:11 which says that God shows no partiality. Then consider Romans 13:1 which says that those under God who are in authority have been instituted by God. So, if God shows no partiality, then those under God who are in authority would show no partiality either, in instituting and carrying out laws, and in judgement under those laws.

Those who strive for righteousness can find it trying, sometimes, in a nation where money can give favor to the rich at the expense of the poor, depending on the situation in which a person would be comparatively poor.

How do you apply the concept of equality under God? Is it equality of opportunity, or equality of outcome? For some people, providing a level playing field is enough for the purpose of equality, and once that’s accomplished, they leave at the end of the day. But while some have no problem getting to that level playing field, for others there are obstacles in the way that make it difficult, if not impossible, to reach that level playing field. They may face a choice such as being deprived of a livelihood for at least a short period of time if they leave whom they are working for to reach that level playing field. Even if they can get time off, they may lack the means of getting to that level playing field. What is the obligation of the rest toward such people?

Seems that Matthew 25:31-46 gives us a clue. There, Lord Jesus says that those who help others in less shape than they are will enter God’s Kingdom, and those who don’t will go to the “lake of fire.” Jesus doesn’t expect us in Matthew 25:31-46 to live a person’s life for them, he just wants that they be helped up.

In striving for equality for all, there may be a lot of things to consider. It can be especially challenging for those in authority who, as individuals are responsible for providing for their households as stated in 1 Timothy 5:8, have that responsibility extended to the jurisdiction and the nation that they have responsibility for in Romans 13:1, making their jurisdiction and their nation to be their household.

 

[SkyWriting]

Proverbs 22:2 is interesting. It says, “The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of them all.” Does that mean that God determined that some will be rich, and some will be poor, or does it mean that God accepts that some He creates will end up being rich while others He creates will end up being poor? And does it matter?

The rich will have more worldly resources than the poor, but under God, do the rich have more rights, or, if you will, more protections under the law? Consider Romans 2:11 which says that God shows no partiality. Then consider Romans 13:1 which says that those under God who are in authority have been instituted by God. So, if God shows no partiality, then those under God who are in authority would show no partiality either, in instituting and carrying out laws, and in judgement under those laws.

Those who strive for righteousness can find it trying, sometimes, in a nation where money can give favor to the rich at the expense of the poor, depending on the situation in which a person would be comparatively poor.

The rich man has difficulty accepting God and so has the disadvantage.