When it comes to sins, we as a culture focus heavily on sexual immorality, not so much on covetousness. In fact, covetousness may well be celebrated in many corners of America, but Paul isn't ranking sins here -- any sin is separation from God, and they all need to be put away -- we are called to take up our cross daily. Dietrich Bonhoeffer famously wrote that when Christ calls a man, he bids him to come and die. It's not an easy thing, to put away even the evil desires -- Jesus raised the bar there, because it's not just our actions, but our thoughts that matter as well. And Paul reminds us that we're all on equal footing -- the Jew and the Greek, the slave and the free -- all sin and fall short, but all are equally saved by grace. No one has any right to believe they are better than any other, for none of us have earned our salvation, but we all are unworthy and yet receive freely.
We as a country would do well to remember this -- each of us stands on equal footing. This was a radical thought in the first century, and it's likely still radical in many corners of this world. But Christianity calls us to consider one another as equal, no matter what, for each and every one of us is equally loved by God and receives the same grace.
So may we look upon each other with grace and pray for the wisdom to encourage each other to put away the old self and claim the new self, defined by hope and radiant joy at the thought of the great work God is doing in us through the power of the Holy Spirit.
