DO CHRISTIANS HAVE GOD-GIVEN RIGHTS?

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20)

When discussing the subject of rights as Christians we must make the distinction between our God-given rights as citizens of His kingdom or citizens of the United States of America. There is a vast difference between these two. One deals with Christians in this country and the other with believers worldwide.  Do Christians have rights? Is it proper for them to assert their rights as Americans? If so, to what extent should they be asserted?

We have all heard, and possibly used, the phrase "inalienable rights", but what does the phrase actually mean?  An "inalienable right" is a right that cannot be taken away from an individual.  It is a right that has been granted by God Himself, and from God alone. The government has no ultimate authority to withdraw them.

When Christians have a say in determining what rights will be concluded as “self-evident” it makes sense for them to base their recommendations on God’s word. Accordingly, the Founders originated a basis for claiming rights to life, liberty, and property in God’s revelation to man as a means by which sinful men would be able to dwell together in peaceful cooperation in economic and social spheres.

Although no civilization is without its imperfections, it is clear that the most peaceful, generous, and cooperative civilizations have been those which exalt private property rights, esteem life highly, and prize liberty. Christian commitment does not preclude the use of law and order in business or social behavior.

It’s often touted by Christians that we have certain God-given rights. The declaration of independence says so, right? The right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  As Americans we have the right to freedom of speech, to own a gun, and the right to vote. But are these really “God-given rights?”

As Americans, we can see a subtle shift away from Jesus’ teaching when discussing “rights.” Americans are proficient at discussing what they have a “right” to do. New rights are proclaimed at a seemingly increasing pace. But this focus on “rights” can draw us away from the heart of the Gospel.

With so much conversation about “rights,” it is not surprising when American Christians inject this rights language even into our faith life. We can easily lose sight of our responsibilities when we prioritize self-interested rights, too much focus on ourselves can create a bunker mentality, in which we lash out reflexively against a world we believe is out to strip us of our freedoms at every turn. Our preoccupation with rights talk encourages our all-too-human tendency to place the self at the center of our moral universe.

Everything the believer views, even our national rights, and freedoms, have to be filtered through three lenses:1) Eternity, 2) Scripture, 3) God’s Eternal Purpose.

Without these three filtration lenses, we begin to adopt the world’s system of viewing our rights and freedoms, and this mixes with the kingdom of God about as well as oil and water.

Somewhere along the line, we have thrown patriotism, statements like “God bless America,” and the idea that America is a Godly country into a blender, and come up with the idea that our patriotism is fully aligned with God’s eternal purpose.

God has not called us to pledge our allegiance to a flag, a political party, a president, or a country. He has called us to pledge our allegiance to Him alone. Nationalism is not compatible with the kingdom of God.

Clement of Alexandria put it this way in the early third-century: “But when one joins God’s people, one has a different country (heaven) and a different lawgiver (God).” And Pierre de Labriolle said, “…the Christians are hybrid people. They are paroikoi, resident aliens, living locally and participating in society, but not as full citizens.” Once we become followers of Christ, we have renounced our citizenship to this world and its systems.

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3:2)

We are “sojourners in a foreign land” as Moses proclaimed in Exodus 2:22. We are aliens living in a foreign land (1 Peter 2:11-12) who are supposed to embody Christ through our habitus (the practices and being of their corporal identity) in order to show the life of Christ to the world. To put it simply: we are to bring heaven to earth. We are ambassadors of a foreign kingdom, in a strange land.

Our founding fathers declared three inalienable God-given rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The problem is that ideas of “rights” are actually social constructs. We have “rights” because our government has said we have them, but how often are these same rights taken away, or abused?

Instead of looking to our constitution for guidance on life, we have to look to scripture. We have to live by Biblical commandments instead of constitutional amendments.

We proclaim that life is an inalienable God-given right, yet we willfully and lawfully cut life short through abortions. How can a constitutional right be considered a God-given right, if tomorrow isn’t even promised? Is the “right to life” only applicable to those living within the borders of the United States?

Life isn’t a right; it’s a gift. The Bible reminds us that tomorrow is never promised, rather that it is a gift of God (Proverbs 27:1; James 4:13-15).

Don’t violate your conscience for a constitutional amendment. Christ calls us to obedience to his commandments rather than such constitutional rights and social constructs. We honor life because of Him who gives life. We honor freedom because it is for freedom He set us free. And we honor the pursuit of happiness because we understand that there is no greater joy than the pursuit of Christ.

When you begin to look at your “God-given rights” through the lens of Eternity, Scripture, and God’s eternal purpose it begins to change your perspective of interaction with your fellow American.