Imagine a society in which all people were truly considered to be equals. It would be a culture in which rich and poor were treated without bias. Women would be treated as equals with men. Race and ethnicity differences would do nothing more than provide diversity. Celebrities would be given no special status. The VIP lounge would not exist. Money would never buy preference.

Such a scenario may resonate with many of our hearts but it seems unattainable. We know all too well the degree to which a spirit of elitism pollutes the cultural landscape of any nation.

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And to be honest, I don’t think that many of us would really welcome a society in which we are “above” no one. It’s one thing to treat people well but giving them a welcome place at our lunch table is an entirely different matter.

The Gospel

Perhaps this is one reason that biblical Christianity is not welcome in some circles and actually banned in many nations. The gospel of Jesus Christ is The Great Equalizer, but it doesn’t necessarily work in the same manner as some humanistic efforts to create equality. And because of this, the gospel succeeds where humanism fails.

What is it that makes the gospel unique? It creates equal footing for all people by declaring that all are failures in the eyes of eternity.

But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Galatians 3:22 (NASB)

While such a statement may be highly offensive to some, profound power is found within. The gospel disarms human pride—and human pride is what creates and perpetuates elitism.

Think about it! How many things matter to us that mean absolutely nothing to God? Physical appearance, ethnicity, athletic prowess, intellectual ability, social status, and material wealth—the very things that divide people—mean absolutely nothing to God. All have been found short. Thus, all are on equal footing.

Sons and Daughters of God

Thankfully, God does not rub our shortcomings in our faces; instead, He elevates us to the enviable status of sons and daughters through faith in Christ. Written and unwritten lines of separation, then, are erased through the cross of Jesus Christ.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28 (NASB)

I’m not sure how many of us realize the significance of these things. In a world overrun with conflict–a world in which millions of people suffer and die because of the wars of men–the gospel paves the path for true and lasting peace. There is indeed hope for the human race, but it can be found only through Jesus Christ.

In this we can see that the gospel is both exclusive and inclusive. The gospel is exclusive because salvation is to be found only through Jesus Christ—a reality clearly spelled out in the New Testament.

And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven [Jesus] that has been given among men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12 (NASB)

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At first glance, such exclusivity may appear to be unfair—that is until we realize that the gospel is the only effective antidote for pride and elitism. As much as we would like to think otherwise, no other belief system provides the answers to the human condition that we find within biblical Christianity.

At the same time, the gospel is inclusive because God has opened the way to Christ for all who desire to call on His name. If there are barriers that keep people from coming to Christ, they are erected by humans, not by God.

I, for one, am intensely thankful for the good news of Jesus Christ. I am thankful that I need not be “somebody” in the eyes of man to be somebody in the eyes of God. I am thankful that, while my sins put me at odds with the kingdom of heaven, I have found favor with the heavenly Father through the cross of Jesus Christ. How thankful I am for The Great Equalizer!

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