Divine Rights and Human Rights
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We want to close off this extended blog section with a few thoughts from our perspectives as committed Christians:
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1. Human rights must also be understood in the light of Divine “rights”. God has the “right” as our Creator, to ask us to obey Him, trust Him, and serve Him. He always does this based on His character of love, even though we may not fully understand His ways. One prime example: Jeremiah 45:1-5
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2. God is the Supreme Being who acts totally in accordance with His immutable attributes of moral goodness. God infuses moral law in the human beings that He has created. Hence our sense of morality, our yearning for justice, and our “universal” human rights are based on God. Human rights make sense because God makes sense.
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3. Member care is energised by the ethical imperative—the duty—to support our staff. Our staff have both human needs and human rights which need attention. And staff in turn seek to affirm the rights and minister to the needs of the people whom they serve.
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Reflection and Discussion
**Read though the following “affirmations” in the Christian Magna Carta in light of:
a) human rights (especially article 18 of the Universal Declaration),
b)"spiritual" rights, and
c) the commitment to support others in their search for “a productive life” (mentioned below).
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**Check out the related short video presentation too at:
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Christian Magna Carta
*We affirm the Christian Magna Carta which describes the following basic rights as implicit in the gospel. Everyone on earth has the right to:
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• Hear and understand the gospel of Jesus Christ.
• Have a Bible available in their own language.
• Have a Christian fellowship available nearby, to be able to meet for fellowship regularly each week, and to have Biblical teaching and worship with others in the Body of Christ.
• Have a Christian education available for their children.
• Have the basic necessities of life: food, water, clothing, shelter and health care.
• Lead a productive life of fulfillment spiritually, mentally, socially, emotionally, and physically.
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We commit ourselves, by God's grace, to fulfill this covenant and to live for His glory.
Developed by YWAM leaders, 1981
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