Many people believe that our society is one that is more loving of each other because of a progress in 'human rights'. Indeed, the concept of 'human rights' seems to be one that cares for others, but the question that can be raised is, what is love? The concept of rights is often claimed to be that which is based on loving one's neighbour as oneself and can be done without faith in God. However, nothing can be further from the truth.
The concept of 'rights' is based on the humanistic doctrine of 'choice'. One is said to have a right when they act or refrain from acting, as a autonomous human being where one is deemed to be sovereign. This is to exclude God from His Sovereignty over all human affairs. Jesus, Son of God said that: "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad" (Matthew 12:30). This means that if one is not for God's Sovereignty over all, and therefore for God, one is against God's Sovereignty, and therefore against God. Therefore, the very notion of human autonomy, choice and agency to do as one wills for oneself is to rebel against God. It is contempt for God as it disregards Him for His Power.
Very rarely do people of the modern world speak about God's power when debating about God, even among Christians. God is power. Ephesians 1:19-21 speaks of God's power being "far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come". God's power exceeds far beyond that of all earthly rule, authority, power, dominion and name because He is power. He is the Creator of the entire universe, who brought it into existence by His Word. John 1:5 says:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Everything that God is is that which is the ultimate standard, and therefore, the Law of God is not the Law of God because He said so, but because He is the Law. God is love. Love is the characteristic that defines God's very essence. It is because God is love, which humans cannot do in their own strength (1 John 4:8) that all have sinned and fallen short of glory of the God (Romans 3:23). It is because the Law of God is the Law of Love which no one can keep that God demand justice of us all.
A person must have the love of God in him to love others. Since God is love, all that is from Him is love "for love is of God" (1 John 4:7) and "every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love" (1 John 4:8). God is the source of all love. Therefore, he who does not know God does not nor cannot love because God is love. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins (1 John 4:10). Without God, one cannot love. Therefore, rebelling against God in excluding Him is not love. Such a person cannot love "because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Romans 8:7).
Thus, the doctrine of 'rights' which is of human independence from God is one that is not of love not can it be love. This is because it excludes the Law of God which is the Law of Love which people, without God, cannot obey.
The concept of 'rights' is about choice, whereas the concept of love is about submitting to others. The concept of 'rights' is about what is right for oneself, whereas the concept of love considers what is the need for others. The concept of 'rights' is about fighting for one's interests, whereas the concept of love is about sacrificing one's interests. Indeed, greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).
Love sacrifices itself for others, just as Jesus, the sinless Lamb, sacrificed His Life for the ungodly (Romans 5:6).
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