Rights or Privileges- Philippians 2:3 ESV

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

Many people often confuse privileges with rights. We all want our rights. People are frequently screaming about what they perceive to be their right. But are we sometimes confusing rights with privileges?

A privilege is something that often requires a license to be able to do. For example: driving a car is a privilege, not a right. No one has the right to drive a car. To be able to legally drive a car you must have a driver’s license. Marriage works the same way. Before one can marry, one must obtain a marriage license. The same holds true for business licenses or professional licenses: such as doctor, lawyer, dentist, etc.)

If a person is called into pastoral ministry and would like to be able to perform weddings, that person must be licensed to do so. However, that requirement comes from the government, not God. When Paul wrote that we are to count others as more significant that ourselves, he was encouraging us to serve others.

Serving God (with the exception previously mentioned) does not require a license. Neither is a license required to serve others (except in the cases specified above).

As Christians, we have the right to serve God and others, however, we should probably consider it a privilege to serve. The difference between a right and a privilege is that a right cannot be taken away. Licenses can be revoked. Privileges can be lost, rights cannot. Both rights and privileges come with responsibilities. Make sure you are willing to accept the responsibilities of such rights or privileges.

So who do you want telling you how you should live your life? God, or the government? The government cannot give you God given rights, it can only grant you privileges that it can then take away. God gives us rights, and he does not take them away from us. The choice is yours. Rights or privileges?