Unalienable Rights

This month marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This masterpiece is replete with memorable phrases, perhaps the greatest of which is: “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.”

I did not grow up in the church; I was baptized into Christ in my late thirties. For this reason, I reflect often on how becoming a Christian changed my perspective on a myriad of topics. As a new creation in Christ, I think differently than before, and none more so than about the core rights Jefferson delineates—Life, Liberty, and Happiness.

Life

Why do most of us view life as precious? Because man, as a finite being, is moving steadily toward physical death. This reality profoundly impacts the way we view and live life. The late English philosopher Sir Roger Scruton wrote that it is only because life is finite that our experiences take on true meaning.

God has endowed each of us with the right to Life. How we exercise that right is up to us individually. The psalmist David wrote, “For with You is the fountain of life” (Psalm 36:9 NKJV throughout). God is the source of true life, and it is the life dedicated to and lived for Him that takes on true value and meaning.

While it is true that all will physically die, it is also true that all will live eternally. Again, where we spend eternity—with God and the saints in heaven or with Satan and the wicked in outer darkness—is up to us. This reality drives the Christian to strive to be found faithful when the Lord returns; to focus more on the joys of heaven than the toils of earth.

Liberty

In our current culture, perhaps no concept is more misunderstood than liberty. Many define freedom as the right to do as they please, but that definition simply will not do.

While in a local ministry, I developed a thought-provoking sermon series entitled the Paradoxes of Christianity. Among the paradoxes was this: Although we are free in Christ, we are still slaves. I based this on Romans 6:15-23, where Paul presents two alternatives, namely, one is either a slave to sin or a slave of God.

Yes, we are free in Christ, but what exactly are we freed from? First, from the peril of law. Paul writes, “But the Scripture has confined all under sin … that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:22-24). The word confined means “to shut up together, to imprison.” Thanks to the grace of God, we are freed from salvation by law-keeping.

We are also freed from the predicament of sin. First, we are set free from the punishment of sin, which is death. Jesus paid this price for us through His death on the cross. We are also set free from the power of sin. When we are baptized into Christ, we receive the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit, whose primary purpose is to provide the moral power to overcome sin and live for God’s glory. Finally, we are freed from the purpose of sin. In Romans 6:21, Paul asks, “What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed?” Paul’s point is that servitude to sin results in participating in activities that dishonor God and shame man. In sharp contrast, as a slave of God, Paul says we have “fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.”

Happiness

Merriam-Webster defines happiness as “a state of well-being and contentment.” The Bible teaches that we are “blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). The psalmist exclaims we, “are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house” (Psalm 36:8). Finally, we are exhorted to, “be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5).

The world claims that happiness is found in temporal gain, through the pursuit of earthly pleasure and reward. The Scriptures paint a different picture. Real happiness is achieved by humbly trusting God and accepting His provision. Over the course of my Christian life, I’ve observed that the happiest Christians are those who simply trust and obey, ever confident that the God of heaven will meet their every need. Such an attitude eases the burdens of life and frees one to enjoy the blessings of God.

Thomas Jefferson was correct: God has endowed us with the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These are found, however, in Christ and a life dedicated to Him. As we celebrate our semiquincentennial, let’s not lose sight of this truth and remain ever thankful to Him for His rich blessings upon our land.