https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Are-All-Men-Created-Equal.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n\tby Jeffrey W. Hamilton<\/p>\n\t
Text: Acts 17:21-31<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nI. Many people are familiar with the stirring words of Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration\nof Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,\nthat they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these\nare Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”\n
A. They might not recall the rest, but this particular line is held dear by many<\/p>\n
B. Is it true that all men are created equal?<\/p>\n
1. We know that each of us is a unique individual<\/p>\n
2. Even identical twins are not perfectly equal<\/p>\n C. Nor are we equal in circumstances – some are rich and some are not – Ecclesiastes\n9:11\n 1. What we do share is that seemingly random events happen to us, beyond\nour control, that change the outcome of our lives\n
II. Equal Origins<\/p>\n A. The common thread among all people is that we are created by God – Proverbs\n22:2\n
B. We are created from one blood – Acts 17:26<\/p>\n
1. It started from one man – Adam – I Corinthians 15:45-49<\/p>\n
2. From this one man, woman (“from man”) was made – Genesis 2:21-23<\/p>\n
a. The first “clone” if you will.<\/p>\n
b. She is then called “mother of all living” – Genesis 3:20<\/p>\n 3. Seven generations later, the world was destroyed because of man’s\nwickedness\n a. One family – Noah, his wife, their three sons and their wives were\nall that survived.\n
b. We all are their descendants – Genesis 9:19<\/p>\n 4. The concept of “race” does not exist in the Scriptures. All men are\ndescendants of both Adam and Eve and from their decedents, Noah and\nhis wife.\n
a. Rather, the Bible speaks of nationalities and languages<\/p>\n
b. Such started at the tower of Babel – Genesis 11:1-9<\/p>\n C. What has always fascinated scientist is that all the variations we see in humans is\nthe result of only minute differences in our genetics. \n 1. An evolutionary biologist (thus having no reason to support the Scriptures)\nfound: “Race doesn’t matter. In fact, it doesn’t even exist in humans. …\nAlan R. Templeton, Ph.D., professor of biology in Arts and Sciences, has\nanalyzed DNA from global human populations …. He shows that while\nthere is plenty of genetic variation in humans, most of the variation is\nindividual variation. While between-population variation exists, it is either\ntoo small, which is a quantitative variation, or it is not the right type of\nqualitative variation — it does not mark historical sublineages of\nhumanity.” [Tony Fitzpatrick, “Biological differences among races do not\nexist, WU research shows,”\nhttp:\/\/record.wustl.edu\/archive\/1998\/10-15-98\/articles\/races.html]\n 2. “The geographical maps of principal component values constructed by\nCavalli, Menozzi and Piazza in their famous The History and Geography\nof Human Genes <\/i>show continuous variation over the whole world with no\nsharp boundaries and with no greater similarity occurring between\nWestern and Eastern Europeans than between Europeans and Africans!”\n[R.C. Lewontin, “Confusions About Human Races,”\nhttp:\/\/raceandgenomics.ssrc.org\/Lewontin\/]\n
III. Equal Downfall<\/p>\n A. Unfortunately, mankind shares an equal “personality disorder” if you would – we\nall have a tendency to sin – Romans 3:23\n B. Sin started with Adam and we all imitate his downfall in our own ways – Romans\n5:12-14\n
C. Nationality is no barrier to sin – Romans 3:9-18<\/p>\n
IV. Equal Judgment<\/p>\n
A. All must appear before God – II Corinthians 5:10<\/p>\n
B. All nations shall gather before Christ – Matthew 25:31-32<\/p>\n C. It is this equality of judgment that should give us sympathy for our brethren –\nRomans 14:10\n
D. That judgment will be impartially conducted based on what we have done <\/p>\n
1. Fairly given – Colossians 3:24-25<\/p>\n
2. Based on what we have done – Revelation 22:12<\/p>\n
3. What we do is compared to the truth – Romans 2:2-6, 11<\/p>\n
4. By the record of our lives – Revelation 20:12<\/p>\n
5. By the gospel – Romans 2:16<\/p>\n
V. Equal Offer of Salvation<\/p>\n
A. If we stopped there, the situation would look hopeless<\/p>\n
1. We all sinned.<\/p>\n
2. We are impartially judged by the record of what we have done.<\/p>\n
3. We are judged by the truth we have all failed to keep.<\/p>\n
B. But God loved us too much to let us go – Romans 5:6-10<\/p>\n
C. Planned before the foundation of the world – Ephesians 1:3-14<\/p>\n
D. This plan of salvation is offered to all equally – Galatians 3:26-29<\/p>\n
1. Without distinction – Romans 10:12<\/p>\n
2. Equally new – Colossians 3:9-11<\/p>\n E. But while the plan is equally offered, you have the same opportunity as everyone\nelse: you can accept or reject the offer. It is up to you – Philippians 2:12-13\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Acts 17:21-31 I. Many people are familiar with the stirring words of Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[119,32],"tags":[302,787,713,215,214],"class_list":["post-61781","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-audio","category-sermon","tag-creation","tag-equality","tag-judging-others","tag-prejudice","tag-racism"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5233,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-the-bible-support-the-idea-that-all-men-are-created-equal\/","url_meta":{"origin":61781,"position":0},"title":"Does the Bible support the idea that all men are created equal?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 11, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Does the Bible support the idea that all men are created equal? Answer: In speaking to the Athenians, Paul stated that God \"has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":30222,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-were-women-valued-less-than-men-in-the-old-testament\/","url_meta":{"origin":61781,"position":1},"title":"Why were women valued less than men in the Old Testament?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 9, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I love God.\u00a0 I am a strong woman and have always asserted myself and believe that men and women are equal in the eyes of God.\u00a0 There is actually a scripture that says \"all of mankind is created equal in the eyes of God.\" I do know there are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":38253,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-came-across-your-article-while-researching-and-preparing-a-response-to-indias-and-hindus-caste-system\/","url_meta":{"origin":61781,"position":2},"title":"I came across your article while researching and preparing a response to India\u2019s (and Hindu\u2019s) caste system","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 5, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Thank you for the excellent article on your website responding to the question \"Does the Bible support the idea that men are created equal?\" I came across your article while researching and preparing a response to India's (and Hindu's) caste system. \u00a0I found the article very, very helpful. Answer:\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":9875,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-can-a-husband-and-wife-be-equal-when-the-husband-has-the-rule-over-the-wife\/","url_meta":{"origin":61781,"position":3},"title":"How can a husband and wife be equal when the husband has the rule over the wife?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 20, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I read your\u00a0article and I thought it was good. While I agree with most of it I find it hard to believe it all. Eve fell for the lies of Satan and ate the forbidden fruit. She sinned against God and gave Adam the same fruit and he also\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":89500,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/womans-work-in-the-church\/","url_meta":{"origin":61781,"position":4},"title":"Woman’s Work in the Church","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 17, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by James W. Boyd The belief and teaching that says men and women are to be equal in all matters is as foolish as contending that up is the same as down, and right is as proper as left. God describes their roles, not man. No religion or philosophy places\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":31260,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/was-god-sexist-in-punishing-eve\/","url_meta":{"origin":61781,"position":5},"title":"Was God sexist in punishing Eve?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 10, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Is God in Genesis 3:16 talking to Eve specifically, or all women in general? If so, how isn't God being the modern term of a sexist? Answer: \"To the woman He said: \"I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; your\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61781","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61781"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61781\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61781"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61781"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61781"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}