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I think we are getting a little off topic, (I should know , The question isn't about Christians believing they have no rights or are losing rights in a nation with many conflicting viewpoints but that do we Christians even deserve to have rights at all in a world that we want no part of or are even citizens of.
Do we Christians deserve a better life? One without harm, persecution or pain as citizens of heaven because that was not promised to us in our "Constitution" (The bible)
And that is point; when our Lord had no pillow nor defended Himself (when He certainly had the "right" to), and He's called us to take up our individual crosses, I think it's a no brainer.
We need to pray for and support organizations that God is effectively using to help create understanding about religious freedom in every nation, like the Institute for Global Engagement. It takes living faithfully and humbly working over time to help people realize that the world needs these universal rights to believe or disbelieve.
Anything we get is a blessing from God, it is not owed to us and that is why as a Christian I thank Him everyday for allowing me to live in this country.
I just deleted a lot of posts from this thread that were off-topic and/or orphaned by the removal of off-topic posts.
Please review the OP.
The OP is asking:
1- Do Christians have the right to demand and expect rights, and
2- As Christians, where do you find evidence of that in the Bible and in particular the life of Christ.
OP, if I'm mistaken and wrongly interpreting your OP, let me know and I can 'undelete' but it seems you were receiving very secular responses to what I think you meant as a spiritual question.
By accepting the cross of Christ, we have basically stated that any earthly "rights" we had to a safe or friendly place in this world have been exchanged with salvation and a home in heaven. We are not guaranteed an easy journey for the flesh, and should not expect it.
I think you are absolutely correct, CG. It is predicted/prophesied in the Bible, and so it should not surprise us when we are persecuted and have our "earthly man-made rights" taken away.
But, does that mean we should not fight for them? I don't know. Should we just sit back and take it as it comes or try and keep God and Jesus, prayer and worship in our rapidly self-destructing country? I don't know.
I do know that we are given a "great commission", and that is to spread the gospel, so other than that what are our responsiblities as Christians and citizens? Nothing, perhaps? Pull up a chair and watch the destruction? I mean, God has it under control and it's out of our control, so why bother? I'm not being sarcastic, these are real questions which we really don't have the answer for.
So do we just do as we feel the Lord is leading our hearts to do? How do we know that it's the Lord and not our own desires? I always love to refer back to this scripture when these questions pop up:
1 Thess 4:11-12~~"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."
I think God intended His people to "be still, and know that I am God". But, what if we didn't stand up to unGodliness? What then? Is that really something we should not be doing?
I think we are getting a little off topic, (I should know , The question isn't about Christians believing they have no rights or are losing rights in a nation with many conflicting viewpoints but that do we Christians even deserve to have rights at all in a world that we want no part of or are even citizens of.
Do we Christians deserve a better life? One without harm, persecution or pain as citizens of heaven because that was not promised to us in our "Constitution" (The bible)
Well, I certainly think we 'deserve' a better life. I believe it is said we are to have life and have it more abundantly..." I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundlantly". John 10.10 NKJV
And we do, because of all the blessings that we have.
Psalms 34.12 speaks of 'loving life, and seeing good days'. Peter quoted that scripture...1 Peter 3.10
Naturally we are to expect persecution and pain. We are almost promised that we will suffer those things. Still, I am sure our Loving Father in Heaven does not want our entire life on earth to be pain and persecution!
I think you are absolutely correct, CG. It is predicted/prophesied in the Bible, and so it should not surprise us when we are persecuted and have our "earthly man-made rights" taken away.
But, does that mean we should not fight for them? I don't know. Should we just sit back and take it as it comes or try and keep God and Jesus, prayer and worship in our rapidly self-destructing country? I don't know.
I do know that we are given a "great commission", and that is to spread the gospel, so other than that what are our responsiblities as Christians and citizens? Nothing, perhaps? Pull up a chair and watch the destruction? I mean, God has it under control and it's out of our control, so why bother? I'm not being sarcastic, these are real questions which we really don't have the answer for.
So do we just do as we feel the Lord is leading our hearts to do? How do we know that it's the Lord and not our own desires? I always love to refer back to this scripture when these questions pop up:
1 Thess 4:11-12~~"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."
I think God intended His people to "be still, and know that I am God". But, what if we didn't stand up to unGodliness? What then? Is that really something we should not be doing?
Having rights and deserving rights are two different things. As long as we have these rights we should be spreading the gospel and thanking Him everyday for His blessings and the opportunities alloted to us but one day and that day WILL COME, those rights will be taken away from us and we should still do the same and praise Him.
I think you are absolutely correct, CG. It is predicted/prophesied in the Bible, and so it should not surprise us when we are persecuted and have our "earthly man-made rights" taken away.
But, does that mean we should not fight for them? I don't know. Should we just sit back and take it as it comes or try and keep God and Jesus, prayer and worship in our rapidly self-destructing country? I don't know.
I do know that we are given a "great commission", and that is to spread the gospel, so other than that what are our responsiblities as Christians and citizens? Nothing, perhaps? Pull up a chair and watch the destruction? I mean, God has it under control and it's out of our control, so why bother? I'm not being sarcastic, these are real questions which we really don't have the answer for.
So do we just do as we feel the Lord is leading our hearts to do? How do we know that it's the Lord and not our own desires? I always love to refer back to this scripture when these questions pop up:
1 Thess 4:11-12~~"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."
I think God intended His people to "be still, and know that I am God". But, what if we didn't stand up to unGodliness? What then? Is that really something we should not be doing?
These are good questions - I consider what the Spirit of the Lord will do if His people "humble themselves and pray"...it takes faith to follow Him, and this is a good example of how we must live and then He will do what He says He will do, which is change the world through us.
How now, brown cow? Is it through activism and marches? I don't think so personally, as I see a humble people touching the world using mercy and grace; but that's so far from where I am right now, it's hard to see us being that people.
Having rights and deserving rights are two different things. As long as we have these rights we should be spreading the gospel and thanking Him everyday for His blessings and the opportunities alloted to us but one day and that day WILL COME, those rights will be taken away from us and we should still do the same and praise Him.
Actually, you are right about the 'deserving'. No one 'deserves' anything special. I was meaning it in a differant sense. If we all got what we deserve, there would be no one saved!
I think that when all Christians truly understand that none of it is for us and that it is all for Him and His glory only, then that spirit of humbleness will set in.
I don't believe this a Christian problem as it is an American Christian problem. There are Christians all over the world who never had these rights and are being treated in the most atrocious manner and thanking God everyday that they suffer in His name.
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, The question isn't about Christians believing they have no rights or are losing rights in a nation with many conflicting viewpoints but that do we Christians even deserve to have rights at all in a world that we want no part of or are even citizens of.
