Table of Contents
Definition of Inalienable Rights and Freedom
By definition, rights are those things one is morally or legally entitled to do or have. It’s the power or privilege to which one is justly entitled. Inalienable rights are also known as natural rights. Since they are God given, they are not dependent on the laws or customs of any particular culture or government. They are so universal or fundamental, they cannot be repealed by human laws. Notwithstanding, one could forfeit his or her enjoyment of said rights through one’s actions, such as infringing on someone else’s.
What comes to mind when you hear the word, freedom? Do you think in terms of the nation in which you live? Perhaps as a Christian, you consider it in relation to being free in Christ Jesus. Can it be equated to having no restraint? You know, do what you please without consequences. Of course this leads to another question: are there consequences to the way you exercise it? Perhaps, before demanding one’s own rights, and the freedom to exercise them, it would be good understand what the word actually means, and how God views it.
According to a couple of dictionaries, it takes on a number of meanings. It’s the quality or state of being free. In one sense, the absence of coercion, necessity, or constraint in choice or action. In another, it’s liberation from slavery or restraint from the power of another. That is to say, independence. It also refers to being exempt or released, usually from something burdensome. It speaks of ease. Then there’s being frank, open, or outspoken. If you prefer, the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. And let’s not forget the power of self-determination attributed to the will, which also points to political rights and privileges.
Biblically, freedom is independence from religious regulations and legal restrictions. As Christians, we are under grace, thus, making us free from the Mosaic law, as well as the law of sin and death. It’s freedom in its truest form, since we are now citizens of Heaven, and no longer slaves to sin. True freedom requires Jesus Christ, since He paid the price for our freedom from bondage to sin. Unless a person has received Him as Lord and Savior, he or she is not truly free. Sin still has that person in its clutches.
John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Consequences of Our Actions
Jude 1:3-6 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace empowered us to walk free from sin; it did not empower us to sin freely without consequence. Part of confessing Jesus is walking righteously; therefore, if one chooses to walk in sin while claiming grace, one also chose to deny Him. Obviously, there’s an intentionality attached to such an attitude, and the actions that coincide with it.
When it gets down to it, you pretty much have the free agency to do as you please. Following God is a volunteer program. He allows you to decide how to live your life. That doesn’t mean there aren’t any consequences for any maleficence. Read all of Jude, and you’ll find a stark warning about trying to live in such a manner. This is not talking about the occasional unintended failure. He made provision for true repentance.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Incidentally: just because something is legal, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s moral; much less, right in the sight of God.
The Process of Consequences
Here’s the crazy thing about freedom: you are free to choose or decide as you please. If you choose wisely, you will enjoy freedom in its truest sense. However, if you choose unwisely, you could put yourself into bondage. Paul alluded to this principle.
1 Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient (profitable, beneficial): all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
Here’s a natural illustration of this principle: if I choose to misuse ice cream over an extended period of time, I may find myself addicted to sugar. Overindulgence of sugar has some nasty consequences. Am I free to eat it? Sure, but freedom that is exercised by the flesh isn’t exactly the best option. Here’s another example: if I were to decide to misuse credit, I will have brought myself under bondage to creditors. Do I have a legal right to charge my credit cards and take out loans? You bet, but there are still consequences attached to my decisions.
By the way, there’s a very good chance God will allow us to go through the process to undo what we’ve done to ourselves. In the last example, I might pray and pray, and then pray some more for the money to pay off my bills. More than likely, the windfall in the mail probably won’t find its way to my mailbox. Otherwise, there’s no lesson learned, much less any wisdom gained on how to better handle finances. That doesn’t mean He won’t ever surprise us; in fact, on many occasions He has. He is kind and merciful. Whatever we need is how He will respond. He will definitely give wisdom when asked.
Your Rights and Freedoms are God-given
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
