God-given rights
 

Can you name some of our rights that came from God? (And this forum being what it is, perhaps you could cite scriptures for them. ;))

Inspired by this:

Re: God-given rights
 

Re: God-given rights
 

Thanks, D. Interesting.

Re: God-given rights
 

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

Re: God-given rights
 

Is that scriptural?

Re: God-given rights
 

:toofunny
Of course not.
You have the right to accept Grace from God,
a free gift held out to every person; if you
give up this right, you have the right,
in contrast to the above, to become a slave,
and to die the sin unto death.

Those are your rights.

Re: God-given rights
 

Man has always wanted to usurp God by claiming authority over others for themselves. When they usurp God, they think that they become a god like the Pharaohs of the past ancient Egypt. They do not want people to worship the Creator. It is these people who become tyrants and dictators and get their minions to back them up by lavishing them with the finer material things in life.
Look through the OT and you will see all the various kings who required all to bow down and worship him. They were vain and evil people who somehow did not realize that they were created flesh and blood ...equal as the other human beings they subjected into their "power". heh.

God given rights are throughout the Bible. If one follows the commandment below, all the rest of the laws and rules would fall right into place.


And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

(Luke 10:27)

Re: God-given rights
 

Yup. Nice links, Dordt.

Re: God-given rights
 

In the second link, it says we have a right to the gifts of the spirit. Is that true? Really?

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The Assemblies of God says that healing is a privilege of the believer. Is that true?

Re: God-given rights
 

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Must be nice.

Re: God-given rights
 

The AG doctrine:

Divine healing is an integral part of the gospel. Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the atonement, and is the privilege of all believers.

Agree? They cite:

Isaiah 53:4,5
Romans 8:23
Titus 2:13
1 Corinthians 15:51,52

Re: God-given rights
 

Yes, the prayer of the righteous,
prayed in faith, brings healing
when aligned with God's will, T.
You have confident expectation of this.

But you must have all of these,
and they do not come simply by
"getting saved."

While many gifts are bestowed upon a new believer,
perfect faith is not one of them, usually.
That comes with hearing, and takes time.

One may pray for healing with much faith,
but if it does not align with God's will,
this prayer is obviously of no avail.

Re: God-given rights
 

"Align with God's will" means it's something God already wants to do, right?

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Hmm, I might put it differently, I think it is more like "...is required to do, to be God," but for the sake of argument, yes.
But you don't get to interpret one verse
that illuminates God's will, and extrapolate it
incorrectly with this principle; fair warning.
And I get to use Prax :lol

Re: God-given rights
 

Huh? What is God required to do, to be God? What in the world are you talking about?

Re: God-given rights
 

Oh, they're pretty much all listed? God cannot lie, cannot abide sin, cannot answer the unrighteous prayer, etc. These are not negotiable. It is easy to imagine that "God's will" means that God could make exceptions if He felt like it, when nothing could be further from the truth.

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I dunno, it seems like grace, which you love to talk about, is "abiding sin". And how do you figure God cannot answer the unrighteous prayer? And how does that, if it's true, not imply that God cannot answer anyone's prayer, considering that there are none righteous? But, have to admit, that could explain a lot. :lol

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A believer has recourse to rebound 1 John 1:9...more later, gotta run. This is what Christ is all about?

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2) "The prayers of a righteous man avail much"
denies that...but I meant "unrepentant..." God
does not even hear unrepentant or
certain special case prayers.

Getting your prayers answered is easy,
once you learn what to pray for.
You will be praying for a lesson;
praying for pain :lol

Those other prayers, the ones
nobody seems to be able to get to work?
By definition, it seems to me,
answering that prayer was not God's will,
and God has a better idea; this is why we pray,
"Thy will be done. On earth. Just like in Heaven."

Which happens to be the Kingdom we are to
operate from, which is not of this world;
and one doesn't have a "vote" in how the
Kingdom is operated. It is not a democracy,
which makes this concept more difficult
for those living in one.

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This seems like a system that was set up to appear to work, when it doesn't actually have to do anything. Pray for rain, and it rains? God did it*. Pray for healing, and get no healing? Wasn't God's will. Pray that someone gets saved, and they get saved? Answered prayer*. Pray that someone gets saved, and they never get saved? Wasn't God's will.

Can't lose.

* Even if God didn't do it, but it would have happened anyway. You can't tell.

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No, it doesn't deny anything. It could be taken as an explanation of why God seems (to some) never to actually do anything miraculous in response to anyone's prayers. (See previous post: when it looks like a prayer is answered, you can't really tell if it was, or if the nice thing would have happened anyway -- as it does often, even to unbelievers. The rain falls on the just and the unjust!)

Re: God-given rights
 

Sure, but where that is revealed, to me,
is when a prayer is answered for person A
and not person B, for example...also, I believe
the situation you describe exists to reveal those premises.

There is a Scriptural concept, the current model I'm studying
describes it as "Faith-rest," that I believe is hardly understood
by many Christians, and so they don't understand why the faith
that was sufficient to furnish proof of prayer answered as a new
Christian no longer seems to work as one "progresses."

I have a personal example of prayer answered "miraculously"
shortly after I was saved, and my polling of other Christians
by and large reflects similar instances. Now, I lay in bed some nights
pondering if God really exists or not--but I'm recognizing this
for what it is; a way to bring me to Spiritual Rapport, or maturity.
Not a comfortable way, granted; but I know that God exists,
have faith that all this rather uncomfortable stuff is what is best for me,
and so I am able to stay in the moment now, where I would have
sought (and achieved) some temporal escape before;
essentially running from God. And this is starting to pay dividends.

Since that doesn't really address your post, a little story:

A believer was out hiking one day, communing with nature,
and pondering his temporal difficulties, as we all tend to do.
In a somewhat prayerful state of mind, he was wondering why
he did not see more evidence of God in his daily life.
So absorbed was he in his thoughts that he was not
even aware that he had approached a high cliff obliquely,
and placing his right foot down on air,
proceeded to tumble over the edge.

Flailing for a hand-hold as he slid over the edge,
and into space, he uttered a prayer;
"Lord, help me!"

Just then, about ten feet below the edge of the cliff,
a scrub-oak snagged the man's clothing, preventing him
from a fall that would surely have killed him.

He looked up to heaven, and said
"Oh! Never mind!" :lol

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I have a little book at home that has the Declartion of Independence at the Constitution in it. In the very back of the book at has famous quotes of our leaders. God is mentioned a lot.

Re: God-given rights
 

Are the Constitution and Declaration of Independence divinely inspired? Infallible?