Question: Are We Allowed to Assert Our Rights?

I think that your question touches on two areas or groups of people:

1. the area of divine fellowship and therefore the children of God; and
2. the area of the worldThe word is used with different meanings. It can mean the whole of humanity (Gen 41:57) or the created world (Rom 1:20), but also a moral system that is opposed... More and therefore unbelieving people.

Area 1: concerning believers

When it comes to insisting on rights among the children of God, such an attitude seems to me to be fundamentally at odds with the spirit that is supposed to rule among the family of God. The following scripturesIn the NT, the various parts of the OT are referred to as “the Scriptures”; these are the “sacred letters/writings” (2 Tim. 3:15). “Every Scripture is divinely inspired and profitable... More speak a clear language in this regard:

• 1 Corinthians 6:7: “Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated?”
• 1 Thessalonians 4:6: “That no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified.”
• 1 Peter 3:8-9: “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessingA blessing is something good, in the Old Testament, usually associated with possessions, prosperity, and health, and is usually pronounced over someone. In principle, the lesser is blessed by the... More, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessingA blessing is something good, in the Old Testament, usually associated with possessions, prosperity, and health, and is usually pronounced over someone. In principle, the lesser is blessed by the... More.”

It is the spirit of love, not of righteousness, that should characterize us children of God. The Lord Jesus has given us a new commandment and said:

• John 13:34-35: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

The apostleApostle (Greek) means "sent one." Today, we are "messengers" for Christ when we pass on the gospel (2 Cor. 5:20). But the highest-ranking messenger is Jesus Christ himself (Heb 3:1;... More John also persistently insists on brotherly love in his letters; it is in fact a characteristic of eternal lifeEternal life is more than life without end. Eternal life is the highest conceivable quality of life. It is life in abundance (John 10:10). Christ himself is the true God... More, which we possess through faith (cf. 1 John 2:10; 3:14, 16, 18, 23; 4:7, 8, 11, 12, 21; 5:1; 2 John 5). The standard of our love for the brothers is “just as I have loved you,” and this means nothing less than that “we too are guilty of laying down our lives for the brothers.” We will be able to be recognized as disciples of our Lord by our brotherly love.

When the Lord Jesus was on this earth, He found no place where He could have laid His head, even though He is the Creator of the universe. There was no room for Him in the inn. When He came to His own, they did not receive Him. And yet - He never insisted on His rights. He went about soothing and healing all those who were overcome by the devil, but for all His love He reaped only mockery, hatred, and finally the shameful death on the cross. Even on the cross, He was still able to pray for His enemies: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” In His gracious behavior, is the Lord not the model for His own who are called to follow in His footsteps? "... who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously" (1 Peter 2:23). How searching these words are for us!

If we even have to lay down our lives for our brothers if necessary, then we should owe nothing to anyone “except to love one another” (Romans 13:8). I must see to it that my brother receives from me everything to which he is entitled, but I myself must never insist on my rights towards him. Rather, I have the privilege of confidently leaving my cause to the Lord.

Area 2: concerning unbelievers

And this brings us to the second area, that of the worldThe word is used with different meanings. It can mean the whole of humanity (Gen 41:57) or the created world (Rom 1:20), but also a moral system that is opposed... More. The passage just quoted from 1 Peter 2 refers not only to the conduct of God's children towards one another but also to our conduct towards the people of the worldThe word is used with different meanings. It can mean the whole of humanity (Gen 41:57) or the created world (Rom 1:20), but also a moral system that is opposed... More with whom we inevitably come into contact – neighbors, colleagues, classmates, etc. When it comes to this side, I think we should keep one thing in particular in mind: We are following a “lamb as if slain”, a Savior despised and rejected here. For this reason alone, we cannot claim supposed rights – we are strangers here who are allowed to share His rejection with Him. We do not have our “citizenship” in the arena of this worldThe word is used with different meanings. It can mean the whole of humanity (Gen 41:57) or the created world (Rom 1:20), but also a moral system that is opposed... More, where our Lord was crucified, but “in the heavens” (Philippians 3:20).

The believing Hebrews were also reminded that we have “no lasting city here” but are looking for the one to come (Hebrews 13:14). These Hebrew Christians had not insisted on their rights; on the contrary, they had endured the robbery of their goods with joy. What had enabled them to do this? Through the knowledge that they possessedA possessed person has a demon inside of them, which means that this evil, satanic spirit (demons are servants of Satan) controls the body and wreaks havoc and destruction. Sometimes,... More a “better and lasting possession” (Hebrews 10:34). Is that also our attitude? Where our treasure is, there will our heart be also.

I'm afraid we look too much at things down here instead of our part up there “where the ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... More is”. That's why we speak so lightly of our rights. I do not cast the slightest shadow on the questioner. It is good that such a question is asked. But it highlights the danger that we are all more or less in: thinking that we have rights in this worldThe word is used with different meanings. It can mean the whole of humanity (Gen 41:57) or the created world (Rom 1:20), but also a moral system that is opposed... More. Let's take a word from the Lord Jesus that caused the author some difficulties, and certainly not only him:

• Matthew 5:39-40: “But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.”

If we are personally wronged, we should act according to this principle. This may not be easy in practice, but that is not where the difficulty lies. What is it like in professional life, for example? Does the word of the Lord also apply there? Should I constantly give in and allow myself to be pushed and kicked? This seems to me to be the answer: When it comes to personal disadvantages and harassment, absolutely yes. But when it comes to representing the rights of my employer and how I can best fulfill the tasks assigned to me, then sometimes I also have to “stand up,” perhaps even “fight” - fight not for my person and my rights, but for the cause as such. I believe that we have to make this distinction.

Even if we no longer have any “household servants” today, the exhortation in 1 Peter 2 applies to all those who have to do their work in a subordinate positionThe Christian position cannot be separated from Christian practice, but a distinction must be made. "Position" means how God sees us now. In the eyes of God, we are "in... More:

• 1 Peter 2:18-19: “Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.”

It is pleasing to God if we endure suffering for the sake of our conscience before Him – if we do not insist on our rights but suffer, and suffer unjustly. That was the attitude of our great Master, and that may be our attitude.

The behavior of the apostleApostle (Greek) means "sent one." Today, we are "messengers" for Christ when we pass on the gospel (2 Cor. 5:20). But the highest-ranking messenger is Jesus Christ himself (Heb 3:1;... More Paul in Philippi (Acts 16:37-39) does not contradict what has been said. On the contrary, we learn from it that when it comes to justifying the gospel before the worldThe word is used with different meanings. It can mean the whole of humanity (Gen 41:57) or the created world (Rom 1:20), but also a moral system that is opposed... More, we must show firmness. We must not confuse this with an insistence on personal rights.