We Have a Right?

Did you notice that politicians are declaring often "we have a right" to healthcare and other things that are not addressed in the Constitution of the United States?

The corrupt politicians can say "we have a right" often and the people will not know if its a right because they do not know the words of the Constitution.

The same is true of many Christians who say things that are not Biblical but sound like they might be true because the psychological industry has spouted these mantras for so long everyone, even Christians think they are true.

They only think these things are true because they don't know their Bible. Every phrase that is commonly used today must be scrutinized according to the Bible.

We might find that most of what we thought was right actually works against the truth of the Bible.

One of the most commonly used terms is that of "self esteem." God never told us we must esteem ourselves! Esteem was for God and others. No where in the Bible do we see the term "self esteem" as a good thing, only as a bad thing.

When Eve was in the garden the devil convinced her she could be like God by disobeying Him. This is the same ploy he uses now when he has convinced an entire culture they can be their own gods though self will and self worship.

We are born loving ourselves, no one has to convince us to do that. The problem is not lack of love for self it is always too much love for self.

Ephesians 2:3 "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;"

Ephesians 5:29 " 29 Indeed, no one ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church. "

Dave Hunt gave a good example of a little boy who looked in the mirror and said loudly, "I hate myself." Did the boy have low love for himself? The answer is simple, the boy hated what God made him, he loved himself so much that he believed he deserved better than what God gave him.

Someone who hates themselves would be glad they were ugly, they would want bad for themselves. But no one hates his own flesh, we know this because God said so.

Watch a little child become enraged when they don't get what they want as well as some adults who act like little children. They will rage when they are denied what they want. Why? Because they love themselves far more than the others they are raging at.

A secure, mature and reasonable adult feels no need to be seen by others as special or above. Those who love Christ above all things see Him alone as worthy of praise. We are most content and joyful when we are not concerned about being something we are not.

Someone once said this: "one of the elements of holiness is the lack of self awareness." If we cannot be happy without thinking highly of ourselves then our joy is dependent on temporary emotions about ourselves.

Since every human being is basically pond scum worthy of death before they are born again, they should have no illusions of superiority to any other human being.

Romans 3:10-12
"10 as it is written,
“There is none righteous, not even one;
11 There is none who understands,
There is none who seeks for God;
12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless;
There is none who does good,
There is not even one.”

I am not unhappy or degraded by the knowledge that I am nothing without Christ, it just makes me more excited that Christ loves me in spite of myself. It also excites me that He has changed me into a new creation. Though unworthy of His love, He loved me anyway, just as with all human beings.

Christ desires that all will admit their sinfulness and trust what He did for us on the cross. Knowing that many will not trust in Him, He has declared their fate if they refuse Him, that is hell.

However, heaven is promised to those who will trust in Christ. There are no rituals or activities that will earn any person heaven. Only believing on the Lord Jesus Christ will gain anyone heaven.

When we believe on Him He changes us into a new creation. We are no longer the same person anymore. All the sin we used to love we hate after He changes us. Then He begins the work of cleansing in us. He saves us, works in us, then He takes us home when it is our time.

Acts 16:30-31 "…30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”"

Ephesians 2:8-10 "…8 For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.…"

Baptism does not save, rituals of any kind do not save, only trusting Christ will save anyone. Then we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise and know where we are going when we die. We no longer question if we are saved, we know we are going to spend eternity with Christ and that He dwells in us now. His dwelling in us is our seal and promise that we belong to Him.

Ephesians 1:12-14 "…12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory. 13 And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth— the gospel of your salvation— you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the promise of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory."

Christ promised that if we believe in Him apart from works He will save us, seal us and take us home when its time.

As some have said: "every other religion is spelled "do." Only Christianity is spelled "done." It was all done on the cross all we must do is confess our sinfulness and trust Christ.

Christ will not save anyone who comes to him pridefully declaring their own goodness.

Luke 18:9-14
The Pharisee and the Publican
"9 And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:
10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
12 I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’
13 But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be [a]merciful to me, the sinner!’
14 I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

I notice that in verse 11 the Pharisee is said to have been praying to himself. When we recite all our good things about ourselves we can not be possibly praying to God. When we are focused on a Holy Perfect God there is no way we can pretend we are as good as He is.

Just some thoughts!!!!! Hallelujah!