Rights or Priviledges?

Perhaps no other topic today, except for salvation, is more obscured by falsehood than that of rights. Just about everyone thinks that he or she is entitled to a long list of rights not guaranteed by the Bible or the Constitution. For instance, some people believe they have the right to do illegal drugs. Other think they have the right to play their music loud at all times of the day. Some believe they have the right to break the law and get away with it. Still others think they need to redefine the covenant of marriage.

Clearly, the demand for rights has gotten out of hand in America. Paul has an antidote for Christians caught up in or dismayed by a rights-obsessed society. His advice is to imitate Christ, who sacrificed his rights as God's own Son to save His people. Jesus had every right to be worshipped, obeyed, and honored. Yet He did not lay claim to that right. Instead He lowered Himself, gave up His rights and died a humiliating death for our sins. He had more rights than anyone will ever have, and He gave them up all to save His people.

All kinds of evil deeds have been committed in the name of "rights". Selfish attitudes, such as "I deserve it," and "It's my right," and "You have no right to stop me," have been used to justify cheating, abortion, materialism, sodomy, and other countless sins.

Those who follow Christ must not only refuse to selfishly uphold their rights, but avoid having selfish attitudes as well. Instead we should have and attitude of humility.