In the beginning, whenever that was, God created.
He created the Heavens and the Earth. He created everything in, above, under, and on the earth, giving each created object His blessing and mandate. Be fruitful and multiply.
Every plant, bird, and animal; all were equally adored, and blessed by their Creator.
Finally He created man (and woman) , the crown of His creation. Unlike His other creations, mankind was of a different class; an immeasurable “cut above” the rest. Mankind was created in God’s image, after His likeness. Created with the ability to believe, to reason, and to love.
God blessed them and gave them a mandate like the rest of His creation: be fruitful and multiply. However, He added one more point. He said, “Have dominion, rule, govern, the rest of creation. Specifically, rule over the plants and animals. Including every living thing that moves (or, crawls, creeps, glides swiftly across the ground) on the earth.”
All of God’s creation was placed into some kind of “family”. The dogs were in a family, the otters and the birds each had their own family; even whales were placed in a family. Though each species belonged to their own family, there was at least one common thread linking them back to their Creator. They each had the ability to reproduce after their own kind. Each species would continue God’s glorious creation! So to replicate what He began, He divided each species into two groups; male and female. Simply put, the male would bear the seed and the female would carry, and care for, the seed until gestation was finished.
And everything was great!
The Heavens and the Earth were in total harmony with each other. There was no question about what constituted a family, human rights, equal rights, or the like. God had established the Law of Life and, under His loving care, everything was “very good.”
However, man decided to listen to a particular serpent; one who yielded itself to be used by the devil. The devil, speaking through the serpent, suggested man’s “human rights” were being restricted, or violated, by the narrow minded Creator God. So the man and his wife believed him (remember, mankind was given the ability to believe) and yielded their “dominion, rule, and governing authority” over to the devil. Human rights were never the same.
Until Jesus.
Jesus said, “The Son of Man has come to seek and save (restore) that which was lost.” Luke 19:10
The apostle John wrote, “For this purpose was the Son of God revealed; to destroy (undo) the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8
Jesus came to restore to mankind their human rights! The right to believe, reason, and love life at its best! Live and love without regret, pain, hellish consequences; without eternal death. The right to live with purpose, dignity, and usefulness. The right to reproduce, spiritually and naturally, new, glorious life.
No one’s ever cared more about human rights than Jesus. His words to the Samaritan woman (John 4), the Syro-Phoenician woman (Mark 7) and others indicate His care for each individual. But mankind, left to their own desires and opinions, cannot have true equality; cannot enjoy their true “human rights.” Selfishness, pride, greed, and lust will not allow people to treat others like they want to be treated. Instead, the “rule” is, “treat others like they’re going to treat you, only get to them first.” Mankind, without God’s active influence in their life, has a twisted opinion of equality. It has more to do with “my rights” than “our rights”, “my feelings and desires” verses “what’s best for society”, “my gratification” instead of “the Creator’s plan.”
The Lord has always desired equality for everyone. Regardless of sex, race, national origin, ethnicity, language, rich, poor, short, tall, bald, whatever! He wrote the book on it! He’s also the ONLY ONE Who can really set the moral standard for equality, for He is the ONLY ONE Who always has mankind’s best interest at heart.
Equality is tied directly to value and honor. Man, without God’s influence, will always value some more than others. We honor, prize, what we value. But God demonstrated our value to Him by giving His best, His Son, for us.
Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:9,10 – “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived (or believe the wrong thing). Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”
Paul listed a group of people in which, without Christ’s forgiveness and restoration, we are all part of. See the equality? Those who were “washed and sanctified”, regardless of their past, now are equal in God’s sight. They each have the same “benefits” as everyone else in the Kingdom of God. In fact, they are “heirs of God, joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.” Romans 8:17
There will be a Day, after all is said and done, when the Heavens and the Earth will once again be in total harmony with each other. All of Creation will be in unity, equality a non-issue, and redeemed humans experiencing the everlasting joy of fellowship with their Creator, Redeemer, and Savior.
With all the voices clamoring about equality and human rights, may we stop and hear God’s invitation to eternal life; planned before the foundation of the world.
God and man in eternal fellowship; the epitome of human rights.
Jan Grace 