Word for Word 7/8/26

“All Men are Created Equal”

“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 the pursuit of Happiness.” These are words every United States citizen should cherish and hold dear from the Declaration of Independence, signed July 4th, 1776. These are powerful words. Yet, these ideas are nothing new in the history of the world. While they might be unique in a founding document for a nation, they are not new. These ideas are rooted in Christianity. 

“All men are created equal… by their Creator.” The idea that people have equal worth and value is not a belief that has been held by every nation throughout the history of the world. In fact, it’s just the opposite. For instance, the Romans treated women as less than slaves. And so, how could we get to the idea, that all men - all people - are created equal? Jesus Christ changed everything. As benefactors of the Western world and Christian thought, Americans today often fail to recognize that many of the values and principles we treasure are rooted in Christianity. 

Why do I believe that all men are created equal? As a Christian, I believe that all people were made in the image of God. There are no nations or people that are superior or inferior to another. When our Lord Jesus came into this world, he came to save all people from every tribe and nation. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). The world includes all people! We can’t even begin to realize how counter cultural Christianity was! Paul said, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). 

Paul doesn’t mean that our differences don’t matter. We are unique and created by God. What he is saying is that our differences do not make us greater or lesser than another - because in Christ we are one. This is a tremendous comfort. Because of our sin - we were also all on a level playing field. Scripture says, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Because of our sin, we are all guilty of death and condemnation. Yet, the passage does not end there. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23–24). 

Not only were we created by God, but we were redeemed by God’s own Son, so that we could be justified, that is, declared righteous and innocent in God’s sight. When we look at our neighbor, we can view them with compassion and love, because they were redeemed by the precious blood of Christ. We might not agree with them, but we can still view them as a human being, created and redeemed by God. 

Equality is not earned; it is given by God. As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of this nation, it is my prayer that we would remember how we got here. Our nation was founded upon these Christian ideals. Our founders were not perfect men, but neither are we! May we see the value God has given to each human life from the elderly to the adult to the young to the unborn. May our elected officials seek to honor and serve all lives, promote law and order, and have compassion for the suffering. God grant us a stable government so that we can live in peace and continue to enjoy the freedom to worship in churches where the Word of God is preached, so that by hearing the Word we might believe, and that by believing we might be saved and receive the crown of everlasting life through Jesus Christ alone. We should celebrate the independence we gained 250 years ago. Yet, we should celebrate even more the freedom from sin, death, and the devil we received from Christ’s death and resurrection over 2,000 years ago! Amen. 

Pastor Abraham Faugstad
King of Grace Lutheran Church ELS, Waukon and Trinity Lutheran Church