Christian Rights

"He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." (John 1: 11-13 NIV)

The Greek word for "right" is "exousia" and is variously translated as authority, power, right, privilege, etc., in the New Testament. In some passages, the word "right" or "privilege" seems to be a preferred translation.

There is much popular talk upon "rights" and "privileges" today. Generally it is in the context of "human rights," or of "rights" in respect of government. The constitution of the United States refers to the "inalienable rights" of man, or of citizens of a state. Sometimes these "rights" are viewed as both "positive" and "negative," but in either case they have respect to what is "owed" or "due" to someone. People speak of the "rights" of both employers and employees, of "marital rights," and of "inheritance rights." Then there are the numerous debates over whether a certain freedom is a "right" or a "privilege." Is driving a car a "right" or a "privilege"? A "right" for whom?

The bible speaks of certain rights, powers, privileges, and authorities, as being given to Christians, or to those who "receive" and "believe on the name of" Christ. In the opening verse, John says that God "gives" or "grants" to the believer in Jesus the "right" (power or authority) to "become the sons of God."

Christians, by a spiritual birth and adoption, become "children" and "heirs" of God, and "joint heirs with Christ." They therefore have "rights" as the "sons of God," glorious "inheritance rights."

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." (Romans 8: 14-17 KJV)

Because believers have become the sons and children of God, they have certain "inalienable rights" connected with their familial relationship. They have rights as children, as heirs.

"But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." (Galatians 4: 4-6 NIV)

Because of our standing under the law as condemned sinners, we have lost all rights, all freedoms, just as a criminal. But, Christ, who voluntarily took the place of the criminal, has "redeemed" the sinner who believes in Jesus, cancelling his debt to the law, and sending his own Spirit into the heart of the believer whereby the believer is incorporated into the body of Christ, and is made a "son" or "child" of God with "full rights."

"To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne." (Revelation 3: 21 NIV)

"Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city." (Revelation 22: 11 NIV)

These are some of the superlative "rights" and "privileges" that have been given and promised to the believer in Jesus. These include the rights of "citizens" of the heavenly kingdom, of the New Jerusalem, and of the "age to come." They will have right and privilege to all the benefits of a citizen of such a city and country.

They will also have rights and privileges as lords, governors, kings, and rulers in the "world to come." Christians have a "right to enter" into heaven, into the glories of citizenship and rulership in the administration of Christ over the "new heavens and the new earth."

The subject of "Christian Rights" includes lots of other "rights." Paul spoke of the "rights" of pastors and missionaries to financial support of the church, and of the rights of pastors to marry and have a family.

"Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. Don't we have the right to food and drink? Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas? Or is it only I and Barnabas who must work for a living?...If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ...But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me. I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast. .."What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it. (I Corinthians 9: 1-6, 12, 13, 15, 18 NIV)

"...nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." (II Thessalonians 3: 8-10 NIV)

These verses teach us how the Christian, like any good citizen, may voluntarily suspend his "rights" for the good of others. A person may decide not to "exercise" their "rights." Pastors are owed respect and deserve our attention, as they minister to us the word of God. They have a "right" to expect it, just like citizens have a "right" to expect fair treatment and an honoring of his rights by the government, and by other citizens, and as a spouse expects his "marital rights" to be honored.

"See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son." (Hebrews 12: 16 NIV)

Some of our "rights" may be disponed away. Esau sold his "birthright," the "right" of the firstborn to a double "inheritance" and higher place of honor. Criminals also, by their crimes, forfeit many of their rights, freedoms, and privileges.

"We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat." (Hebrews 13: 10 NIV)

Those Jews who reject Jesus as the Messiah, and who remain under the Old Covenant, under the law, and refuse the New Covenant, are those who have "no right to eat" of the "altar" of the Christian. He has no "right" to the sacrifice of Christ, to his atonement for sin, nor to the eternal city or tree of life.

Friend, if you are not a child of God, you have no rights as such, and no right to enter into the "holy city," or into eternal life, but you will forever dwell in Hell's prison, lost to every right and privilege to any and all good. How can you know if you are a child of God? John said:

"Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God" (I John 5: 1) and therefore a child of God, and an heir of God, possessing all the glorious rights of such. These "rights" belong to those who "receive Christ" and who "believe on his name."