We often think that we have rights. We think that we have a “right” to enjoy ourselves, we have a “right” to do what we want, we have a “right” to live. When we as children under the authority of our parents get upset, it is often because we feel our “rights” have been disregarded.
We think:
“I made the cookies; I have a right to the first pick.”
or
“I’m the oldest; I have a right to go first.”
or even when a decision is made for us,
“I have a right to make my own decisions.”
But you know we don’t have a right to do anything. There is at least one huge reason why. Romans says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” And we are told in Romans 6:23 what a sinner’s “rights” are. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The only right we as sinner’s posses is death! We deserve no other.
In light of this it is wonderful to then consider that Christ Jesus could come down to die for us. We did not deserve it. Our sins were His abhorrence, yet He came down to free us from their bondage that we may live and not die, for “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”. (Romans 5:8)
Christ Jesus died and took our penalty so that we could stand blameless before the Father. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6)
God the Father sent His Son to die for us, who had no rights to live, who were despicable in His sight, so we could become blameless if we repented and believed in His Son – all because He loved us! That is amazing!
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:16-19)
Let the LORD be eternally praised because He loved us “while we were yet sinners” and died for us to cleanse us and make us pure!
To the KING be all the glory!
You are RIGHT! I think…. But what do you do with this?
“…all men are created equal, and are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights….”
Just food for thought, I would like to hear your response.
VD2K2
Oh, a post after my own heart! I have tried several times to post something to this effect myeself, but always gave up, deleting a whole jumbled mess of unconnected ideas.
My thoughts are, we don’t have a “right” to do anything. Anything that we get to do is a privilege. It is a privilege to vote, have a job, eat three meals a day, go first, pick first, or anything else that falls along these same lines.
Have a very bright, very cheerful day!
Miss Eyebright