To begin the session:
Download the handout “The Great Equalizer” here. Have the class pair up and work the sheet.
To transition to the Bible study portion of the lesson, say, “Humans often jockey for position and work very hard to elevate themselves above others. But many things wipe all advantages and disadvantages away, sometimes in the blink of an eye. In our passage today, we’ll see that God is the greatest equalizer of all.”
To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:
Today’s passage is Romans 3:21–31. As a class, go through the passage phrase by phrase looking for expressions of how God, sin, law, faith, and other things place us all on the same footing.
There are at least seven expressions of equalization in this passage:
| Verse(s) | Comment |
| 21–22 | All who believe have access to God’s righteousness |
| 22 | Neither is better or worse than the other |
| 23 | All people are equally in need of forgiveness, atonement, and salvation |
| 24 | Everyone receives justification in the same way |
| 25 | All people require atonement because of their sins |
| 28 | Everyone who is justified is justified in the same way |
| 29–30 | Since all humankind is either Jew or Gentile, God is the God of all |
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