August 5 - Equality and Unity

One major barrier to Christian unity is the issue of pride resulting from social, economic or educational differences. Society is filled with prejudices and hatred towards those that are different from us, better than us or worse than us. Equality of the sexes is still an issue in many countries and our racial differences further divide us. As a result, there are classes and groups that are superior and they see others as inferior. With that, we judge and despise those that we do not like.

The cross of Christ with its implications is not taken in well with the people of the world. Dying on the cross was the most shameful death that one could endure, how can the lowliest form of punishment become the way that God saves the world? It is totally absurd to the human mind that this could happen. However, the power of the cross will totally destroy the wisdom of the wise and the discernment of the discerning. The Greek philosophies that are based on wisdom and the Jewish philosophies that are based on signs are both crushed by the cross of Christ.

The worldly systems of wisdom and knowledge are based on how much one knows and how he applies knowledge. This system of achievement and competition for high positions is dividing up humanity according to their criteria. Paul declared that not many of the Corinthian believers were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, and not many were of noble birth. They were seen as foolish, weak, lowly and despised. But they were chosen by God to shame those who thought themselves to be superior. Even when Paul was among them when he first came to them, he was weak in human terms but God empowered him with the message of the cross with the demonstration of the Spirit and of power.

The worldly system divides but the cross unites. Before the cross, all of us are sinners. The standard is no longer who you are and how good you are, it is how bad you are and how badly you need the forgiveness of Jesus on the cross. The cross put all mankind on the same plane of equality. No one of us can elevate us above others. The wisdom of man is totally defeated by the power of God on the cross. Before the cross, all must kneel and worship the greatness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us not go back to the worldly system but operate on the system of the cross.

Do you have any person or groups of people that you do not like? Are you feeling superior to a certain kind of people? Are you operating on the worldly system or on the divine system of the cross? If you feel that you are better than any other, then you are inside the worldly system. What are you boasting about yourself today, bring them to the cross and exchange for a new system of operation and relating. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to descend into lowliness and humility.