According to Thomas Jefferson, “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.” Jefferson, an aristocrat, penned those famous words while surrounded by his slaves on his Virginia plantation. Perhaps Jefferson had in mind the concept of impartiality in judicial administration which is in fact a scriptural premise.
While all men are created in the image of God, they are innately different. If all men were created equal in all aspects of life, all would have the same DNA. The attempt by government to equalize all men is termed ‘social justice’. Such ideology requires extreme governmental overreach into individual lives and causes major fiscal problems. Such political ideology has no scriptural basis.
God has a plan and purpose for everyone as an individual. The wisest and richest man in the Bible was King Solomon.
“…see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor…” I Kings 3:12-13
God gave riches and wisdom to Solomon and no one but God had the authority to determine what Solomon’s ‘fair share’ was. It is also very interesting to note the extent of Solomon’s influence.
“For he (Solomon) had dominion over all the region on this side of the (Euphrates) River…Thus Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the men of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt…And men of all nations, from all the kings of the earth…came to hear the wisdom of Solomon.” I Kings 4:24, 30, 34
But God didn’t limit his sovereignty of granting wisdom and riches to kings, he was also intimately involved with common men. Recall the young Jewish lad named Daniel who was deported to Babylon in 605 BC.
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, whom God had appointed, chose certain young men to learn the language and literature of the Chaldeans. Nebuchadnezzar offered special favors and delicacies to Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego which they declined.
“As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom…therefore they served before the king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm.” Daniel 1:17-20
There are those who claim that God isn’t ‘fair’ in His apparent arbitrariness. But the answer to that claim was, ‘who are you to reply against God’? God was straightforward when He explained His sovereignty to Moses.
“…I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” Exodus 33:19
The Apostle Paul referred to this Old Testament passage in the New Testament confirming the authenticity of the teaching throughout this age.
God’s sovereign choice of those to partake of His mercy and compassion is epitomized in His election of common individuals to be conformed to the image of His Son. This choice was made before each individual had a chance to prove his worthiness. Then of course there is God’s sovereign choice of the tiny nation of Israel to be the light of the world. That choice is also immutable in spite of the efforts of many nations to marginalize or even destroy the ‘apple of God’s eye’.
“For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the LORD loves you…” Deuteronomy 7:6-8
The sovereignty of God is irrefutable and for governmental leaders to try to equalize all men, i.e. egalitarianism, is a naïve attempt by big brother to play God.