Christian Relationship Help: Do Christians Have Rights in Relationships?

Are you looking for Christian relationship help? It is often said that Christians need to lay down their rights in relationships to please God. Let's look at what the Bible says about Christians having rights in relationships.

The main teaching to support laying down your rights is the fact that Jesus died on the cross which was the ultimate laying down of his rights. Jesus did die on the cross at the appointed time to fulfill God's purpose in sending him to earth. However at other times, Jesus asserted his rights by protecting himself from those that wanted to kill him because it wasn't the appointed time. He confronted those that accused him of wrongdoing and those that were teaching false truths. Jesus also recognized the importance of taking care of himself. He was willing to leave people who needed ministry when he needed to rest, pray, eat, and fellowship.

The apostle Paul laid down his right to being supported financially by the people he ministered to (1 Corinthians 9). His reason for doing this was that it was a better witness. For some reason, he was conce ed that taking the support might have interfered with people being able to receive his message. It may just have been that it might have given people who opposed him a reason to talk and question his motives. Paul also asserted his rights when he demanded to be let out of prison because he was a Roman citizen and had the right to be freed (Acts 16:37; 22:25).

In 1 Corinthians 6:1-8, Paul told the Christians to stop bringing each other to secular court to argue about their disagreements. He wanted them to bring the disputes to the Jewish courts and solve them internally. It was apparently a bad witness for them to argue in front of non-believers. Paul went so far as to say that it would be better for them to be wronged than to bring disgrace to the faith. These were Christians who needed a powerful witness when bringing their testimony of the new religion of Christianity to the people.

These are the principles about rights that we can glean from these Scriptures:

• The laying down of rights is a choice.
• The laying down of rights is dependent on the situation.
• Asserting your rights shouldn't bring disrepute to the gospel.
• Asserting your rights can be in the other person's best interest, when doing so stands up for the truth and discourages them from doing wrong.
• Laying down your rights can be done when it is for the best of the relationship and both people.
• Asserting your rights is allowed when it is to protect yourself or others.
• Asserting your rights is allowed when asking that you be treated with respect.
• Asserting your God-given or government rights with the government and authority is allowed.

This Christian relationship help teaches you that you do not have to lay down your rights in relationships unless you choose to.