Equality!

I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing. --John 15:5

Within the heart of man is the inherent desire for the recognition that there is equality between all men. It should be admitted that class struggle exists only in attitude. Refusal to accept others’ definitions of superior and subordinate classifications means that the distinctions dissolve as I view my fellow man. Class struggle is defined as one group’s having less material gain than the next, and many have been persuaded to work to get out of their economic situation and rise to that of the so-called upper class. If we were to redefine “upper class” as those who were the happiest, most moral, and largest contributors to society, it would be discovered that many who are materially categorized as upper class are actually lower-class people. Laying all worldly designations aside, there are actually only two noteworthy groups to represent, the carnal animalistic group and the spiritual, who have Christ within and expressed outwardly.

Abiding is the great equalizer between believers. Abide in Christ and all that He is and has is received, just as the branch receives the full life of the vine. Do not abide and immediately experience being in the flesh. It matters not if the flesh is educated, rich, respected, admired, or refined; it is still flesh, falling so short of the spirit. The world has so many criteria by which it appraises man, so many levels of divisions. Yet we Christians have but one: Is a person abiding in Christ or not? Is a person expressing life in the spirit or carnality? To make sub-classes out of the carnal or the spiritual is ignorance rooted in pride and self-glory. No one is better than an abiding believer, who at that moment is an earthen vessel with a perfect life, the life of Christ, flowing through him. Does it get any better than that?

With words so simple, and a spirit so eloquent, Michael gives us the beauty of our connection to Christ when we are “in Christ and abiding.”  Listen with your Christian heart to the foundational truths Michael lays out for all of us:

·         the spiritual, who have Christ within and expressed outwardly

·         abiding is the great equalizer between believers

·         abide in Christ and all that He is and has IS RECEIVED (my caps for emphasis)

·         no one is better than an abiding believer, who at that moment is an earthen vessel with a perfect life, the life of Christ, flowing through him.

I, for one, don’t believe it could possibly get any better than that!