A Faith of Equal Privilege

The antidote to discrimination and racism is Jesus Christ. Pastor E.V. Hill once shared his response to Black Panthers threatening his life for preaching about “that white Jesus.” 
I don’t know anything about a white Christ—I know about Christ, a Savior named Jesus. I don’t know what color He is. He was born in brown Asia, He fled to black Africa, and He was in heaven before the gospel got to white Europe . . . I do know one thing: if you bow at the altar with color on your mind, and get up with color on your mind, go back again and keep going back until you no longer look at His color, but at his greatness and His power—His power to save![1]

​ Meditation
2 Peter 1:1—Simeon Peter, a slave and an apostle of Jesus Christ: To those who have obtained a faith of equal privilege with ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.
 
Peter’s introductory verse to his second letter is brilliantly revealing. First, he identified as a slave—not a socially astute move in a world where slaves were considered subhuman or at best property to be owned. Second, Peter identified as an apostle—a person titled with a mission to the world to spread the gospel. Both words slave and apostlewere tied by Peter directly to Christ because to be a slave and apostle for Jesus was a mark of distinction and honor—especially to the disciple who himself would be crucified on a cross—upside down according to church tradition.
            
Peter further addressed his audience and what he wrote next strikes a beautiful blow to anyone with misguided thoughts about racism or discrimination. He makes equal in privilege any who have put their faith in Christ.  What! How can he write such a thing?  Well, because faith is not given to anyone based on their skin color, their social status, their power, their charisma or IQ. Faith is obtained simply and purely because of the righteousness of our Savior.  Jesus lived a perfect life as we know so that His sacrifice on the cross could absolve us of our sin when we trust in Him.  
            
What a beautiful truth that we share a faith of equal privilege with a God who made us in His image; a Father who sees us because we are made with value wholly unrelated to color, sex, or race.  When you see a fellow believer in Jesus Christ you see a person whose faith grants the same redemption, the promise of eternal life and the joy of forever worship. This means friends that we also have a responsibility to model love which attracts people to Jesus so that they too might find and gain the same equal privilege.  Something to think about . . . in reveration!
 
Inspiration
The greatest hindrance to the growth of God’s kingdom globally is racism.—Nik Ripken in The Insanity of Obedience

 
 
©2021 Daniel York  ARR.  Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)

[1] https://www.mysoulpurpose.org/e-v-hill-and-the-black-panthers