Key to Power

Key To Power When God created Adam and placed him in the garden of Eden, He gave Adam certain legal rights. These legal rights were not Adam’s by nature, not innate rights. These legal rights were conferred rights. Whenever you receive conferred rights, you not only have the privilege and opportunity of having them, but also the possibility of their forfeiture. God conferred upon Adam the authority and power to rule the earth with all its creatures.* Thus God limited Himself by giving that legal responsibility to Adam. Among other legal rights which God conferred upon Adam were the rights to perfect love, to complete joy, to happiness, to perfect health. The right of everlasting life was another conferred right. Adam—or man in general—not only had certain conferred rights, but he also had natural rights. These natural rights cannot be forfeited. Unlike a natural right, you can use a legal right in whatever way you choose though you do not have the moral right to do so. The legal right to use that which is conferred upon you is absolutely yours. If I conferred upon a person a college degree having certain rights and privileges, the person could take the power that is latent in that degree and use it for good or for evil, use it to benefit man or to harm man. This truth may be further illustrated by thinking in terms of a court of law. A legal will wherein is stipulated that a certain sum of money has been given to you is read in court. Would you then say that the sum of money is yours? Yes, you would, because it has been legally conferred upon you. After it has been conferred and you receive that sum of money, you may spend it wisely or foolishly, whichever you choose. Anything which is conferred upon man may be used well or poorly. When God gave Adam all the privileges mentioned in The Word, God also conferred on Adam certain legal rights which in turn gave him absolute control over the privileges granted him. Adam took those legal rights and transferred by his own